tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78168422032487460152024-03-14T04:24:53.528+08:00Feeling Fuzzier - A Film BlogNew release reviews, opinion pieces and regular features from the mind of a British film blogger living in Australia. rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.comBlogger954125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-20708199851588194712023-01-01T10:30:00.000+08:002023-01-01T12:54:26.703+08:00My 11 Most Anticipated Films of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaX7GKOaYKGRLVcv2UR09xR1dSs2bHgHM9Paik3_D1fpLuW6iGujUwTfnBMe3Faz0kPeGhJ3yUmZw2nh8GCVbiXhwnSh3aEQZ678y8R4K89irFglJW--bxowgzop15fGRmWBvL9-iCxtCF1hXxuWnOr4r78nMrfVwfRUoINcemKKxBH-mDXe279Qk6/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(46).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaX7GKOaYKGRLVcv2UR09xR1dSs2bHgHM9Paik3_D1fpLuW6iGujUwTfnBMe3Faz0kPeGhJ3yUmZw2nh8GCVbiXhwnSh3aEQZ678y8R4K89irFglJW--bxowgzop15fGRmWBvL9-iCxtCF1hXxuWnOr4r78nMrfVwfRUoINcemKKxBH-mDXe279Qk6/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(46).png" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>Looking at the year ahead, and there's a lot to look forward to. Fom big budget blockbusters to smaller, more intimate stories, here's a snapshot of the 2023 films I can't wait to see...</b></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">11th - Knock at the Cabin (February) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgferQyWb5eEoi5jIfJ26GiTuEuSNpjLgt_Dm0EhsFSm3uTkLg2hioUYg3-eT__dDNIWHIFAlZ6MfOrYhW1J7C4Onc2t09zXV3RksKmbYPCCTrGuD4CIFJD4sPxCj0Agtaf3OpVkGcf5uuE6NVzjW3Hmv06nlDQLD1blOpcx0xayBZtZyTSHcoPs7Ml/s1816/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%203.11.32%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1816" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgferQyWb5eEoi5jIfJ26GiTuEuSNpjLgt_Dm0EhsFSm3uTkLg2hioUYg3-eT__dDNIWHIFAlZ6MfOrYhW1J7C4Onc2t09zXV3RksKmbYPCCTrGuD4CIFJD4sPxCj0Agtaf3OpVkGcf5uuE6NVzjW3Hmv06nlDQLD1blOpcx0xayBZtZyTSHcoPs7Ml/w400-h288/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%203.11.32%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>From the highs of <i>The Sixth Sense</i> to the lows of <i>Lady in the Water</i>, M Night Shyamalan has undergone something of a resurgence in recent years, with a string of solid thrillers (<i>Split</i> and <i>Old</i>) putting some respect back on his name, not to mention that Apple TV+ series he's helmed, <i>Servant</i>. <br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">An adaptation of a book called <i>Cabin at the End of the World</i>, <i>Knock at the Cabin</i> sees M Night sticking with the thriller/horror territory, for a story about a family of three who are taken hostage by four strangers at a remote cabin. Dave Bautista is first on the call sheet, with Rupert Grint, Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge filling out the ensemble. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Will it be any good? It really could go either way with M Night, but one thing's for certain – it'll be a little weird, offbeat, schlocky and (hopefully) a bit of fun. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">10th - Rebel Moon (2023)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ5-tJvRs4q2WOd4ql4FbXLLSzsQ1aKwiR9LmLor62ILoYEQsrcGGYsRGGZQn8mLRrZHses5GjD7YPPoAGjOHkM6mrv6jJ9XOTavD9BK6IccZFHTVO7xEnQcpQ41G-SB3kVr7JoPUGhO8XNkAfdrwBuQAJ5wdfP7vvriEA-7JxNn9myicbWuwqa8-/s1798/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%206.43.23%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1798" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ5-tJvRs4q2WOd4ql4FbXLLSzsQ1aKwiR9LmLor62ILoYEQsrcGGYsRGGZQn8mLRrZHses5GjD7YPPoAGjOHkM6mrv6jJ9XOTavD9BK6IccZFHTVO7xEnQcpQ41G-SB3kVr7JoPUGhO8XNkAfdrwBuQAJ5wdfP7vvriEA-7JxNn9myicbWuwqa8-/w400-h299/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%206.43.23%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Look, I know Zack Snyder divides opinion – but I'm here for any bold, brazen filmmakers who always swings for the fences when handed a big budget. Partnering with Netflix once again, following on from 2020's Army of the Dead, Snyder's next film – titled Rebel Moon and billed as the first in a wider franchise – was initially pitched to Lucasfilm as a 'more mature take on the Star Wars universe' over a decade ago, before Disney took the reins. <br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Since then, the film has been reworked into an original IP – one that lifts inspiration from Star Wars, as well as the works of Akira Kurosawa (no surprise there, since George Lucas was heavily influenced by Kurosawa in the first place). </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">With this and the sequel filming back-to-back, it looks like Netflix is keen on Snyder's vision – and he's bringing with him a decent ensemble cast too, including Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Djimon Hounsou, Jena Malone and Anthony Hopkins. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">The logline – a peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy is threatened by the armies of a tyrannical regent, so they dispatch a young woman who has a mysterious past to seek out warriors from nearby planets – sounds very Seven Samurai, so expect big battles, alien worlds, sci-fi gizmos and (knowing Snyder) lots and lots of slo-mo.</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOJI_nUMofCgmt1k2Y685OMO178uyY59R_UDs0uu8tjKn2bUJ4dMDDvq8SoZRvANLT1KZRYL8GqAz7aY_22nKvDg3evvWu0iK9fmgGwRLg8Q3uxzWJxvXAHFSvorRqvWq4n4HsvxV2g_h_lx9Ipd8KWgWP5LUQzAofjEUFsoobT9xSudDwW3g1W9a/s2710/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%206.50.03%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="2710" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOJI_nUMofCgmt1k2Y685OMO178uyY59R_UDs0uu8tjKn2bUJ4dMDDvq8SoZRvANLT1KZRYL8GqAz7aY_22nKvDg3evvWu0iK9fmgGwRLg8Q3uxzWJxvXAHFSvorRqvWq4n4HsvxV2g_h_lx9Ipd8KWgWP5LUQzAofjEUFsoobT9xSudDwW3g1W9a/w640-h252/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%206.50.03%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">9th - Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Let's set aside all the drama at DC for just a second – because let's face it, all four films that are due this year are about to get retconned out of existence by James Gunn – to talk about James Wan's Aquaman sequel, which was due to arrive last month but is now set to swim into cinemas a whole year later, around Christmas 2023. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">We don't know an awful lot about this one yet; this'll likely be Jason Moma's last appearance as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, alongside the returning ensemble cast members: Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, Patrick Wilson as Orm, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as villainous pirate Black Manta.</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Aside from that, I'm kind of basing my hype of this one on my fondness for the original, which racked up over a billion dollars back in 2018. I thought Wan brought propulsive action and visual flair to the underwater world of Atlantis, as well as colour and clarity that was lacking in Snyder's original vision for Aquaman's world. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Let's hope that the discourse around DC's upcoming reboot doesn't overshadow what will hopefully be another fun, splashy superhero flick. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5Qpvt3l_3Qdpl6plezp-7emLegyjrduxLurIS3ApkGzPz0rCgTyx5-XntHWi2kt2APykaaNg0my_0SfDGxDZBactfKhsDSGr912WOjizo9yq-UCcSuNuT2-bHsi-Xwy93bfFHb8i3fV5UYKeAZ1asOBDs61KNHuHTvu0Ospd5l5940dpv1VFmlIP/s1302/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%205.50.10%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1302" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5Qpvt3l_3Qdpl6plezp-7emLegyjrduxLurIS3ApkGzPz0rCgTyx5-XntHWi2kt2APykaaNg0my_0SfDGxDZBactfKhsDSGr912WOjizo9yq-UCcSuNuT2-bHsi-Xwy93bfFHb8i3fV5UYKeAZ1asOBDs61KNHuHTvu0Ospd5l5940dpv1VFmlIP/w640-h270/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%205.50.10%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">8th - Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (May) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Speaking of James Gunn, DC's new head honcho is farewelling his fruitful stint at Marvel with the third and final <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> film. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">The recent trailer didn't give too much away, but what we do know is that all the usual suspects are back – Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillian, Pom Klementieff as the Guardians – plus Will Poulter makes his MCU debut as Adam Warlock. It does look like Rocket will be a focus of the story, with some flashbacks perhaps filling in the space rodent's origin story. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Also, we may have gotten a little clue as to the film's story in the recent <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special</i>, where we learned that the Guardians have purchased Knowhere from the Collector. Maybe that will serve as their base between adventures? Wherever they're based, I'm confident that Gunn has crafted something fun, kinetic, colourful and a wee bit emotional too. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQTPkTiqnh95lzypOm23xp2_ecGtNc1obie-QLrHDKo9veuk3cKlS5Jmat-T4wI9tHwkUFYREhaxgHgOwstIrong0QIsWhhN-ebE0HP6o1DIGrIF1vlvZQJOWk7MDyEHHrXAc_GCsdSPGEQW2uSJNSBlYsYskx92K8BIIYfrgcB_p2v46fg3kji9M/s627/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.42.52%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="627" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQTPkTiqnh95lzypOm23xp2_ecGtNc1obie-QLrHDKo9veuk3cKlS5Jmat-T4wI9tHwkUFYREhaxgHgOwstIrong0QIsWhhN-ebE0HP6o1DIGrIF1vlvZQJOWk7MDyEHHrXAc_GCsdSPGEQW2uSJNSBlYsYskx92K8BIIYfrgcB_p2v46fg3kji9M/w640-h264/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.42.52%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">7th - John Wick: Chapter 4 (March) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div></h3><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Another film that has been shuffled into 2023 on account of the pandemic (as well as Keanu Reeves shooting <i>The Matrix Resurrections</i>), the fourth John Wick film promises another round of high intensity kung-fu, gun-fu and highly-accurate headshots. Chad Stahelski is still in the director's chair, so you know the action is going to be good – I think the main question mark here is whether or not the screenwriters can continue upping the ante and the stakes forever and ever. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Filming for <i>Chapter 4</i> included visits to Berlin, Paris, Osaka and New York, and joining the cast for this entry is Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard, Scott Adkins and Hiroyuki Sanada.</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfOO_aCQc3MPAI0_Z5Z7M0ECgMDDRZbyeUwc4eHUllCT50e84FEQnYRZb2PkelppqkSAX5dK92IytjqQeXeY0aVdGtxD06YTGYheB4ZXiyngxtE_oeN65DlVYfZG-u4RLGpcgDFAUq-uj03kt81MyINq0R-xutvEY0nGSmpXfrVIhcSn3MBsdoSCh/s640/anigif_sub-buzz-9893-1658617100-6.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="640" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfOO_aCQc3MPAI0_Z5Z7M0ECgMDDRZbyeUwc4eHUllCT50e84FEQnYRZb2PkelppqkSAX5dK92IytjqQeXeY0aVdGtxD06YTGYheB4ZXiyngxtE_oeN65DlVYfZG-u4RLGpcgDFAUq-uj03kt81MyINq0R-xutvEY0nGSmpXfrVIhcSn3MBsdoSCh/w640-h262/anigif_sub-buzz-9893-1658617100-6.gif" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">6th - Creed III (March) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcF0HA41b882yHRJ8pGAEHqobd-p6khVfo3Nn8l9C5BWv5BKLnBG4Dc_hQJugv14c8m3jhxcrxFNASk5t6XApTh0JWI8UF8h7nRFy7739CCKqKJlJoc3lYAFeU9i214VwCTJuBVZRyUkHf6n8JLFBeuI_O4NMGaTtAjFybUyqJDd_5Wvnkvov7iY8/s1440/Creed%203%202420%20header.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcF0HA41b882yHRJ8pGAEHqobd-p6khVfo3Nn8l9C5BWv5BKLnBG4Dc_hQJugv14c8m3jhxcrxFNASk5t6XApTh0JWI8UF8h7nRFy7739CCKqKJlJoc3lYAFeU9i214VwCTJuBVZRyUkHf6n8JLFBeuI_O4NMGaTtAjFybUyqJDd_5Wvnkvov7iY8/w400-h300/Creed%203%202420%20header.webp" width="400" /></a></div>As well as reprising his role as Adonis Creed, <i>Creed III</i> marks Michael B Jordan's first foray into directing – and when you've had filmmakers like Ryan Coogler come before you, there's the expectation that you'll ace it. But he's continuing a grand Rocky franchise tradition, by moving into directing – Sylvester Stallone famously did the same, directing <i>Rocky II, III, IV</i> and 2006's <i>Rocky Balboa</i>.<br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Speaking of Stallone, <i>Creed III</i> is also the first film in the franchise to not feature Rocky 'The Italian Stallion' Balboa. After playing a supporting role in Adonis' first two films, Stallone is sitting this one out – which is probably the right move, so that the focus of this story isn't split and remains on Adonis. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">This time around, Adonis is squaring off with childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian 'Dame' Anderson (played by the absolutely jacked Jonathan Majors). Looking to get his life back on track, Dame has everything to prove and nothing to lose by making a bid for Adonis' crown – which could spell danger for the latter's peaceful family life with Bianca (Tessa Thompson). </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">5th - Oppenheimer (July) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpYIHRlajgdoG_2I-LoNMGxsIo3tuDiCMTwi1X_m3gypHtHjSVWb-b9zSTI2-Hb2kvo2MI0TEp1BeB5tUtnJFyAC-qGzCkQBfhXXcokwQ9UsPKOJnvb4upEKZ6wl1Lu_gqZoRN05ud0-latI0H1NRxJgXDwzFzKUiDB2VVpCfr2pOc7Y8jlhJ-Y3T/s939/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.50.39%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="939" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpYIHRlajgdoG_2I-LoNMGxsIo3tuDiCMTwi1X_m3gypHtHjSVWb-b9zSTI2-Hb2kvo2MI0TEp1BeB5tUtnJFyAC-qGzCkQBfhXXcokwQ9UsPKOJnvb4upEKZ6wl1Lu_gqZoRN05ud0-latI0H1NRxJgXDwzFzKUiDB2VVpCfr2pOc7Y8jlhJ-Y3T/w400-h294/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.50.39%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Christopher Nolan is back in a period setting, with another Second World War story – this time about Robert Oppenheimer, the man who helmed the Manhattan Project, a military initiative that led to the creation of the first atomic bomb. <br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">After a pretty public spat with Warner Brothers, Nolan has allied himself with Universal for this big-budget biopic – and a large portion of the budget must've gone straight into casting, because this thing is bursting as the seams with big name actors. In the lead role is Nolan stalwart Cillian Murphy and opposite him is Emily Blunt as Robert Oppenheimer's wife, Kitty.</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">From there, the list of names just keeps going and going, including but not limited to Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jnr, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Dane DeHaan, Benny Safdie, Josh Hartnett, Jack Quaid, Alden Ehrenreich, Kenneth Branagh, Matthew Modine and Jason Clarke. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Nolan is one of those increasingly rare filmmakers who will sell tickets to a new film based on his name alone – and I'm eager to see if that continues to be the case here, with a film that isn't on the frontlines of the war (like <i>Dunkirk</i>) and isn't heavy on whizzbang visual effects and loopy sci-fi concepts (like <i>Tenet</i>).</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"> </div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcYeb2kEtp1l5DTsi7RZQMeUaVIAVTNDYp1VrY6vnrpQDmS3w8OsPEtIOx7WcVWKocTtLuHo1KLoSIi8SCGIH6ZNV_SdWqvPUwjSZ3ZZZ9UUf6UOQSyfJxrn9BwxQeqGKmV0VkiqKFdgiv8jtCnyYt8KIJAepjAeY_3HWrs9q-r3lQ1Sl2SfQSp5e/s926/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.48.58%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="926" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcYeb2kEtp1l5DTsi7RZQMeUaVIAVTNDYp1VrY6vnrpQDmS3w8OsPEtIOx7WcVWKocTtLuHo1KLoSIi8SCGIH6ZNV_SdWqvPUwjSZ3ZZZ9UUf6UOQSyfJxrn9BwxQeqGKmV0VkiqKFdgiv8jtCnyYt8KIJAepjAeY_3HWrs9q-r3lQ1Sl2SfQSp5e/w640-h280/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.48.58%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">4th - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June) </span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AO9mOhIrvDlqwTJEFQpJxbXPmJ_DvCqbOiszPgGdThn2UMLZYcBBm_t6QWY1__1liaYnRtgXirhSz7DPv3wXfjkYCHGp2vlRCOZdGZKt8v8cO_WlrkFfVolTkF8RIRnD_tGAeUdFvbCYEyYKDHBmYfLR-agb6oaGFxcqcNy3OyIZEBUo4ViAKAwS/s1112/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%204.52.30%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1112" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AO9mOhIrvDlqwTJEFQpJxbXPmJ_DvCqbOiszPgGdThn2UMLZYcBBm_t6QWY1__1liaYnRtgXirhSz7DPv3wXfjkYCHGp2vlRCOZdGZKt8v8cO_WlrkFfVolTkF8RIRnD_tGAeUdFvbCYEyYKDHBmYfLR-agb6oaGFxcqcNy3OyIZEBUo4ViAKAwS/w400-h258/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%204.52.30%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Another film that was set to come out in 2022, but has been pushed into 2023 for COVID-related reasons. The sequel to Sony and Marvel's 2018 Academy Award-winning Spider-Man animated film, Across the Spider-Verse follows the continuing adventures of Miles Morales and Gwen Stacey as the navigate multiverses and meet up with all kinds of weird and wacky Spideys. <br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">A recent trailer teases a huge cast of Spider-People, starting with Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099 and Issa Rae as Spider-Woman. My only major concern is that maybe, with some many Spider-People, that the film starts to become a little cluttered or complicated? Only time will tell if lighting can strike twice.</div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">But, we can feel confident of one thing – and that's that the animation will look lush, like it's been ripped from the pages of a splashy comicbook. </div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><br /></div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A1_GXGfuk1108tlCNRMOnoj1rBXqzEt_frua6lZ_nA48upWEGJJ5vZDCP88Wlx3gHc4Qo6gJERqG9zVjHxG-J1ZkwBmJRyovdjjofDbggZTK72xTB5anVX7qLwVWfGpKWJva4jz6EYrXrV8EU4FF6zhvDKGUWYGBOAn4MBkMhpY51U--DGwNyn5Q/s1195/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.51.43%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="1195" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A1_GXGfuk1108tlCNRMOnoj1rBXqzEt_frua6lZ_nA48upWEGJJ5vZDCP88Wlx3gHc4Qo6gJERqG9zVjHxG-J1ZkwBmJRyovdjjofDbggZTK72xTB5anVX7qLwVWfGpKWJva4jz6EYrXrV8EU4FF6zhvDKGUWYGBOAn4MBkMhpY51U--DGwNyn5Q/w640-h252/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.51.43%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">3rd - Dune Part Two (November)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseD9ksXxu6InofrOIAVoJcWuyOnzZiVSma1B2ooHTt-czQPk3n57KTobdKH4fRHMcoIvjwn4DIooYNoffiRFF12lNB5Kh0-lvV8HKkY-iNHO7txS1KT0F7uOueXqArX9Qek59xqT-4KzbU0MgqX9FvkV7amcRC-lDpX1IbUytQI38G8iKU-RNA0ZE/s1780/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%204.45.31%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1780" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseD9ksXxu6InofrOIAVoJcWuyOnzZiVSma1B2ooHTt-czQPk3n57KTobdKH4fRHMcoIvjwn4DIooYNoffiRFF12lNB5Kh0-lvV8HKkY-iNHO7txS1KT0F7uOueXqArX9Qek59xqT-4KzbU0MgqX9FvkV7amcRC-lDpX1IbUytQI38G8iKU-RNA0ZE/w400-h250/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%204.45.31%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>The second half of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of <i>Dune</i> is set to arrive this November, and some big names have been added to the already awesome cast.</div><div><br /></div><div>Austin Butler, recently seen swinging his hips in Baz Luhrmann's <i>Elvis</i>, will play Baron Harkonnen's nephew Feyd-Rautha, alongside Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Lea Seydoux as other antagonists for Timothee Chalamet's Paul Atreides to lock horns with.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With the same creatives behind the camera, it's hard to see how this film fails – Villeneuve has been very vocal about continuing with more of Frank Herbert's <i>Dune</i> novels after this chapter as well, so fingers crossed that audiences show up and we can spend even more time in the dusty deserts of Arrakis in the future.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH4ehtjFTnH6lCCsg1c9Kgp8ifPCQ5j0W0LIlSf4VvPZyDvIt70qiRMOzfWSqUfjNG4-sLF1LuA5l5PksCCM_gtDYLGkiLY2hq5BtUeJP9ZvW7Hkp56keZLJOeqW5hxGHiwDCJqeV3Ovy7hDXUmXjn8Il8Re-xHKtAkRcNbWlYGJf5FupBN7Nos0p/s1148/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.54.51%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="1148" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH4ehtjFTnH6lCCsg1c9Kgp8ifPCQ5j0W0LIlSf4VvPZyDvIt70qiRMOzfWSqUfjNG4-sLF1LuA5l5PksCCM_gtDYLGkiLY2hq5BtUeJP9ZvW7Hkp56keZLJOeqW5hxGHiwDCJqeV3Ovy7hDXUmXjn8Il8Re-xHKtAkRcNbWlYGJf5FupBN7Nos0p/w640-h252/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-23%20at%204.54.51%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">2nd - Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (June)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-IVhoRKF2ZdPhenCEfYjtvuePueF1Rk1dXhpxTVUKBl5pB24kDSHWjPeQqH6Qou9yA7hEs82L7ZkfUFlLKaSxe3aVgVya-hKx2hvOre4eWP6bnrOK95zcFBZJ7ZcfFhrRobhSMcBJCbLDJj5PNIiWu7nie5Xp6PR9STYC1BN1fSCH4z1I26dPxGa/s4000/mission-impossible-7-filming-1614331658%20(1).jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2919" data-original-width="4000" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-IVhoRKF2ZdPhenCEfYjtvuePueF1Rk1dXhpxTVUKBl5pB24kDSHWjPeQqH6Qou9yA7hEs82L7ZkfUFlLKaSxe3aVgVya-hKx2hvOre4eWP6bnrOK95zcFBZJ7ZcfFhrRobhSMcBJCbLDJj5PNIiWu7nie5Xp6PR9STYC1BN1fSCH4z1I26dPxGa/w400-h293/mission-impossible-7-filming-1614331658%20(1).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Originally earmarked for last September, the seventh Mission Impossible film – titled Dead Reckoning Part One – now arrives in northern summer. The first of two missions that were filmed (or are still being filmed?) back-to-back, Dead Reckoning has reportedly been a huge undertaking, with initial stuntwork starting as far back 2020, taking in location filming in Norway, Switzerland, Italy and the UK. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">What we know at this point is that Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) will be joined by new friends and foes, played by Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Rob Delaney and Mark Gatiss, as well as familiar faces like Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby and Ving Rhames. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">A recent featurette unpacked the film's signature stunt, which sees Cruise speed along a ramp and off a sheer cliff face, before pulling his parachute and (hopefully) making it out alive. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtddXAiS5YASRgmK2HIICU07v0ZwT6X7yGY4NviXTlLtJNQV4cWzULTKnimcslYx3oaGwwlYQloqyPg4giFiQGYUh_4-kWQ3z_4HdRPH_iWA1JpcdTjrc8J-HUnME0fdnLUBr9f09HnWBAKHCOS8tNTrfzVVd0EFu9orr62XeCfIO0JK_EnsgM0zFt/s345/6h6lyj.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="345" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtddXAiS5YASRgmK2HIICU07v0ZwT6X7yGY4NviXTlLtJNQV4cWzULTKnimcslYx3oaGwwlYQloqyPg4giFiQGYUh_4-kWQ3z_4HdRPH_iWA1JpcdTjrc8J-HUnME0fdnLUBr9f09HnWBAKHCOS8tNTrfzVVd0EFu9orr62XeCfIO0JK_EnsgM0zFt/w640-h272/6h6lyj.gif" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">1st - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdjSLH8oST7tBUadx7jtdweAGIYaPL0Ztnx5gEWAg7WrMIQy2hRlv4b5FjDkOBR5yusZzAHawgtgYJ4HWg-9q3BYcDJ_SQrlAMWm1IgocxDVLeXR3zpR1BAD9h9vI_3bTtLz84uVrLVsMfMy882RGWShlasodIQPvxhnfSXGSXkpEKOwN_cgHAy-d/s849/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%201.32.38%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="849" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdjSLH8oST7tBUadx7jtdweAGIYaPL0Ztnx5gEWAg7WrMIQy2hRlv4b5FjDkOBR5yusZzAHawgtgYJ4HWg-9q3BYcDJ_SQrlAMWm1IgocxDVLeXR3zpR1BAD9h9vI_3bTtLz84uVrLVsMfMy882RGWShlasodIQPvxhnfSXGSXkpEKOwN_cgHAy-d/w400-h289/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%201.32.38%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>It may not be helmed by Lucas and Spielberg, and it may feature an octogenarian Harrison Ford, but how can you not be excited by the return of one of cinema's most iconic and exciting heroes - the fedora-wearing, lasso-twirling, gun-toting Indiana Jones?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari, Logan) is in the director's chair and this film also marks the final crack of the whip for cinema's most celebrated composer, John Williams. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Fifteen years since the last instalment – the misunderstood and unfairly maligned Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Indiana Jones' fifth film, titled The Dial of Destiny, will see Ford team up with Phoebe Waller-Bridge and lock horns with Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook, for an adventure set against the backdrop of the 60s Space Race and the American moon landing. </div><div><br /></div><div>There's rumours swirling that the plot also takes in time travel, and the recent trailer suggests there's going to at least be some flashbacks to the thirties, with some impressive looking visual effects smoothing out Ford's wrinkles to make him look like he did all the way back in Raiders of the Lost Ark.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGXlVnYFTc4Hh0ESOEPkWh28vSoDW9HzymEDnrFba1ao1iN3XnUXwNVQROzr7Js_aBDq3PpjezfNWSXiEeJOK2tTLcdoGt0mh4J0U4h83LVIoJSQJi_TKQhb2Yzyd8E9EOEQ4IFCuYuLoNbLsedauRYLFjlnrIEUL6O4n3pHJyjxKHi1gxFWTgYAN/s1118/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%201.33.15%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1118" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGXlVnYFTc4Hh0ESOEPkWh28vSoDW9HzymEDnrFba1ao1iN3XnUXwNVQROzr7Js_aBDq3PpjezfNWSXiEeJOK2tTLcdoGt0mh4J0U4h83LVIoJSQJi_TKQhb2Yzyd8E9EOEQ4IFCuYuLoNbLsedauRYLFjlnrIEUL6O4n3pHJyjxKHi1gxFWTgYAN/w640-h298/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%201.33.15%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-61293407557122597482022-12-28T10:05:00.006+08:002023-01-14T16:59:44.248+08:00My Top 10 Films of 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibMj0w2q5Vm48Br_iYFf0WnVLryMmbgSP_1LeNBQRiTpea62XzUIm4_U_gIJ5f2vNBTmujgCPvmxQbzRk2yrjQyGopCHN-IfATMXymthF0umU68RfEQgGzcVI1hY9ETaLumjIxW9NdUYZgY-FNPIv6VJEmNKwXiix6lxbkhH4c-ifZ54TNd-dmvkV/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(47).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibMj0w2q5Vm48Br_iYFf0WnVLryMmbgSP_1LeNBQRiTpea62XzUIm4_U_gIJ5f2vNBTmujgCPvmxQbzRk2yrjQyGopCHN-IfATMXymthF0umU68RfEQgGzcVI1hY9ETaLumjIxW9NdUYZgY-FNPIv6VJEmNKwXiix6lxbkhH4c-ifZ54TNd-dmvkV/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(47).png" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>With 2022 coming to a close, it's time to take a look back at the year that was, and reflect on some of my favourite films from the last 12 months. </b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>How can and will Hollywood adjust to the post-pandemic world? That's the question the industry is currently asking itself, as we race past the three-year anniversary of COVID knocking cinemas on their arse. </p><p>Right now, it feels like audiences are being given fewer and fewer options in theatres - for every Batman movie making bank, there's a bomb like <i>Babylon </i>to bring us back down to Earth. It should come as no surprise that the business is wary of taking big risks on original ideas or expensive vanity projects. </p><p>But a more detailed dissection of the new status quo is probably better suited to another time. For now, it's time to look back and appreciate the best films to hit cinemas or streamers in 2022. </p><p>A quick disclaimer before we get started: I'll readily admit there's a lot I've yet to see, some of which has come out in Australia (<i>Barbarian, The Banshees of Inisherin</i>), some of which has not (<i>Tar, Babylon, The Fabelmans</i>). </p><p>Unfortunately, that's life – starting a new full-time job, being a dad, moving across the country and everything else life has thrown our way has meant I haven't seen everything I'd have liked to at the time of writing. Inexcusable, I know.</p><p><b>Honourable mentions:</b> <i>Cmon Cmon, The Woman King, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, King Richard, The Menu, Boiling Point, Prey.</i><br /><br /></p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">10th - Watcher (dir. Chloe Okuno)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4yu1RHB60_Y-ehNeweb5ro8-ZJfr2jh8GA0gQHdb_Vx-JPHDKqTWI5yDWkODiZ2m37LVf_b7tfuCJ0V6cdAkBydXQM68LESgb78SDP3rOH4ayj1McJTKuDLpi6XLkXzpxfJKgAlgeNx36Y-S4rb5FTFi1etIGt38iBSTFYDL6KaVaW0FPB1gW0Gk/s1836/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%204.02.42%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1836" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4yu1RHB60_Y-ehNeweb5ro8-ZJfr2jh8GA0gQHdb_Vx-JPHDKqTWI5yDWkODiZ2m37LVf_b7tfuCJ0V6cdAkBydXQM68LESgb78SDP3rOH4ayj1McJTKuDLpi6XLkXzpxfJKgAlgeNx36Y-S4rb5FTFi1etIGt38iBSTFYDL6KaVaW0FPB1gW0Gk/w400-h301/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%204.02.42%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>An uncomplicated, no-frills thriller, Chloe Okuno's icy <i>Watcher </i>was more about frayed nerves and frightened glances than schlock and gore. The premise is simple and straightforward; Maika Monroe plays Julia, an American who finds herself isolated and alone in her spacious apartment, while a serial killer stalks the streets of Bucharest.</div><div><br /></div><div>With her husband at work and no friends to call her own, Julia finds herself watching the world go by from her window – only to find someone across the way watching her in return. Could this be the killer, or could it be Julia's own insecurities and uncertainties playing tricks on her mind? That the answer is also quite straightforward, is possibly the scariest thing about it.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>With no fancy music to string the audience along or clue us in on the frights, no action or stuntwork to speak of, and no easy answers when those around her start gaslighting and questioning rather than trusting and helping, <i>Watcher </i>was a rewarding, psychological test that stayed with me for a while. Some have called it Hitchcockian, which is pretty high praise indeed.<br /><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">9th - Everything Everywhere All At Once (dir. Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrfBoDJ-eBV2_pOkznmndQzZUVtk5j1Mov5U8KbcoFsDF3Hqi12C2NUwerrwLtbH_EznVLXJiSLNvzpiD9bOWDMQnYgO72xGqYL3nTYaaEmLE7VKOZ9pjPg4t8CGuVUfCFISWVH4xLmeI-FhsHHRXN7xxbkH1Y114NCkm-vRUEv7OrJhVSdxVD-tY/s1846/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.01.54%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1846" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrfBoDJ-eBV2_pOkznmndQzZUVtk5j1Mov5U8KbcoFsDF3Hqi12C2NUwerrwLtbH_EznVLXJiSLNvzpiD9bOWDMQnYgO72xGqYL3nTYaaEmLE7VKOZ9pjPg4t8CGuVUfCFISWVH4xLmeI-FhsHHRXN7xxbkH1Y114NCkm-vRUEv7OrJhVSdxVD-tY/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.01.54%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>The <b><i>other </i></b>massive multiverse film of 2022, and the only one that can profess to be truly mad and seriously strange. <div><br /></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All At Once</i> is A24 at its barmiest, most bombastic best, with some wackadoo visuals that, and this isn't hyperbole, have to be seen to be believed. Where else can you catch a kung-fu fight with butt plugs, or two rocks with googly eyes pondering the meaning of life? <br /><p></p><p>Anchored by a fantastic Michelle Yeoh, a wonderful return to movies for Ke Huy Quan and a surprisingly unhinged turn from Jamie Lee Curtis, there's so much to unspool, thematically – from the tension between mothers and daughters to our propensity to wonder 'what if?' and feel unfulfilled with our lot in life. As a window into Chinese or more broadly Asian family structure too, there's nuance and little nuggets of emotion to be found amongst the running jokes about butt stuff and people with hotdogs for fingers. </p><p>A truly original action science-fiction odyssey, <i>Everything Everywhere</i> isn't just one of the biggest box office success stories of the year – it's also a deeply personal and life-affirming examination of existentialism, nihilism and chaos theory. Somehow equally philosophical and punchy, I imagine there's a lot to unpack here on the first, fifth and fiftieth watch. Like, that alternate universe version of <i>Ratatouille </i>with a raccoon. What was that all about? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89PaKQyBSZ1ckRHpN8DU_v71h5N6pn7LKZHS9SeE8mWBLBE8dVUCx1WlcY4nQrNZSj_-oOIBg2TSkyBgxVqMYfNfLC4rAUqot3-5J8d5hg_0oF03P5p9w9m1N753YN5lurdySmQS7poMzXu671HaLMzJ13A0WA_20DP-fGYiN0jOo4Z1962o5Jayo/s477/everythingeverywhere-newsletter3.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="477" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89PaKQyBSZ1ckRHpN8DU_v71h5N6pn7LKZHS9SeE8mWBLBE8dVUCx1WlcY4nQrNZSj_-oOIBg2TSkyBgxVqMYfNfLC4rAUqot3-5J8d5hg_0oF03P5p9w9m1N753YN5lurdySmQS7poMzXu671HaLMzJ13A0WA_20DP-fGYiN0jOo4Z1962o5Jayo/w640-h264/everythingeverywhere-newsletter3.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">8th - She Said (dir. Maria Schrader)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmqKInOIfFbXiZlyBG8ELJOypZ4bHSz3KtyOtcDjWngWZrFc-coa_tBy2gBR-al_bcgCcO8n38Gmimlf1r4REar76w_I3LYdfeUEi4GoELcIxaM9krDAhYGF4Xz1PFJ26X3Zekln3J_xddj8_1BQbRlIOZ8Rl_mmaYWeM8TLL09YncXDfugC4YWvj/s839/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-25%20at%203.56.17%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="839" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmqKInOIfFbXiZlyBG8ELJOypZ4bHSz3KtyOtcDjWngWZrFc-coa_tBy2gBR-al_bcgCcO8n38Gmimlf1r4REar76w_I3LYdfeUEi4GoELcIxaM9krDAhYGF4Xz1PFJ26X3Zekln3J_xddj8_1BQbRlIOZ8Rl_mmaYWeM8TLL09YncXDfugC4YWvj/w400-h297/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-25%20at%203.56.17%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><div>A biographical drama that recounts the <i>New York Times</i>' investigation into Miramax cofounder Harvey Weinstein, <i>She Said</i> was Hollywood seeking to dip into its own recent past and thrust the women in the eye of the #MeToo storm to the forefront of the narrative. </div><div><br /></div><div>With the talented twosome of Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan playing a duo of dogged reporters,<i> She Said</i> sees director Maria Schrader craft a compelling and captivating investigative journalism story out of what is ostensibly just a series of people making or taking phone calls, writing emails and knocking on doors. </div><div><br /></div>It's not easy to make the procedural, day-to-day feel cinematic, and that shows in <i>She Said</i>'s camerawork – it's very locked down and basic. Schrader kept the focus on her characters and their journey, which ensures that<i> She Said</i> shines not on a technical level, but on an emotional one. <div><br /></div><div>It was hard not to get caught up in the stress, the tension and the frustration of the investigation, as Mulligan and Kazan try to peel away the delicate layers of lies, that have built up over decades of misdeeds. Met with cul-de-sac after dead-end, there's some gratification in watching the pieces of the puzzle slot together – even if we know how this story ends.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">7th - The Northman (dir. Robert Eggers)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOK36u-3T9HoOzQrgzVU85fPMbjdQIH4iJr7i4H_uUvNPq02SWx6bN4PqgnjR6V-m5HxLF0Txp_PRxITcew56Jv60aRgvCEDc6f-yyKULlwGUm3NAOKedr4rd2T7bQGlI7BGmJQRD1_irfZ3-7FkVpNZ8add8NLsKSx2MAG0EdRv9-f0QnJbT3Hnp/s1888/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-24%20at%208.46.57%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1888" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOK36u-3T9HoOzQrgzVU85fPMbjdQIH4iJr7i4H_uUvNPq02SWx6bN4PqgnjR6V-m5HxLF0Txp_PRxITcew56Jv60aRgvCEDc6f-yyKULlwGUm3NAOKedr4rd2T7bQGlI7BGmJQRD1_irfZ3-7FkVpNZ8add8NLsKSx2MAG0EdRv9-f0QnJbT3Hnp/w400-h271/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-24%20at%208.46.57%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>From New England witchcraft to rain-soaked lighthouses, Robert Eggers has developed a reputation for the elemental and the enigmatic – and the man's passion for the past continued in his third feature film <i>The Northman</i>, a sprawling Viking epic that spans the icy Baltic seas and Icelandic tundras. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With upward of $70 million to play with, <i>The Northman</i> saw Eggers seriously up the ante, in both the scale and action stakes. But crucially, his trademark audacity, artistry and pursuit of authenticity was preserved while making the leap to studio filmmaker.</div><div><br /></div>A blood-soaked revenge story, <i>The Northman</i> is a tale as old as time – and leading the charge but physically and emotionally is a totally transformed Alexander Skarsgard, as a towering Viking warrior with hatred in his heart. Eggers matches that intensity in every aspect of the filmmaking; <i>The Northman</i> is saturated in cultural, historical and mythical detail, from some of the language used (like Old Norse and Old Slavic) to the costuming, production design and the score, which is filled with propulsive drums and choral vocals.<div><br /></div><div>Filled to the brim with fire, blood, mud and guts, <i>The Northman</i> was an unforgettable, ethereal and elemental cinematic experience from start to finish.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2LyYziQtbe-5CFdfi-h-wioqdTn8aIJ9qOc8Dm4M_uvUqVPVI8WdMPPZPI1WQxNGH-hyV1H_Bgo6tX7rdqka2lMGu572ZBioK77PopDQNj1Ipq5HXeGoaQtKHBDtT7o5duMz45KpctMGGqzGvu1asEI0dZidNfvl4tnev6gpJsLghN_KYXTookEv/s479/northman-article%20(1).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="479" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2LyYziQtbe-5CFdfi-h-wioqdTn8aIJ9qOc8Dm4M_uvUqVPVI8WdMPPZPI1WQxNGH-hyV1H_Bgo6tX7rdqka2lMGu572ZBioK77PopDQNj1Ipq5HXeGoaQtKHBDtT7o5duMz45KpctMGGqzGvu1asEI0dZidNfvl4tnev6gpJsLghN_KYXTookEv/w640-h312/northman-article%20(1).gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">6th - All Quiet on the Western Front (dir. Edward Berger)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><h3><span><span style="font-size: small;"><div style="font-weight: 400;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2674KTnEvTvhj1-r-HFg_CmPP9T9q2Jw2LyHjKjDs8HPcKSCoYVbSaLBgxSXmn-UtbSdyoSBV_NmWHZkwT3Y-mqqVmL-OuLWcUtHWHEf1CkW8ITB5jxTjeW63vEK0gzByGTii-6zrZEe-L_4mHlLNhSojOS1FWKMj3Zb7R0LoT9p0g2zXvZoEdh8Z/s1097/aqotwf.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1097" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2674KTnEvTvhj1-r-HFg_CmPP9T9q2Jw2LyHjKjDs8HPcKSCoYVbSaLBgxSXmn-UtbSdyoSBV_NmWHZkwT3Y-mqqVmL-OuLWcUtHWHEf1CkW8ITB5jxTjeW63vEK0gzByGTii-6zrZEe-L_4mHlLNhSojOS1FWKMj3Zb7R0LoT9p0g2zXvZoEdh8Z/w400-h299/aqotwf.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Soaked in blood and mud, raining bullets and broken bones - German filmmaker Edward Berger's adaptation of the 1929 novel <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> didn't shy away from showing us the true horror of the Great War, plunging the audience headfirst into German trench warfare.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Following four young men as they enlist, head to the front and soon find themselves surrounded by the senseless loss and desperation only found on the battlefield, this is my first brush with this story, having not seen the 1930 Best Picture winner. It's the furthest thing from a feel-good film, but it is effective in its aims - war is hell and the young men who were sacrificed in the name of nationalism needn't have died over inches of territory.</div><div><br /></div><div>The film's standout sequence - a brutal, bruising battle complete with tanks, flamethrowers and aeroplanes - is as technically impressive and emotionally devastating as any onscreen battle I've seen. It culminates in a truly upsetting scene that hit me like a truck. Berger's film is bolstered by some brilliant editing, harrowing musical cues and a fistful of fearful, frightened performances. </div><div><br /></div></div></span></span></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">5th - Glass Onion (dir. Rian Johnson)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhFZc7ER7S8N_n2-VFpFwa-d9MofjzIIFlYRwsqHVTcF1j5pMUXqh5WlNvqWJdq2w7gHxxwdYUtgjeZfDCMOGX_rTkLZgewRvsYqbdC0X5I-UqVsIHgkTnWmwX1_DnOe2DRwO-Ll2D6bXvOj7Ft7hMLnF3n1sAtRcXtsN3upmufQXMdS17ONv4TXU/s2074/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.09.08%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="2074" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhFZc7ER7S8N_n2-VFpFwa-d9MofjzIIFlYRwsqHVTcF1j5pMUXqh5WlNvqWJdq2w7gHxxwdYUtgjeZfDCMOGX_rTkLZgewRvsYqbdC0X5I-UqVsIHgkTnWmwX1_DnOe2DRwO-Ll2D6bXvOj7Ft7hMLnF3n1sAtRcXtsN3upmufQXMdS17ONv4TXU/w400-h265/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.09.08%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>A late entry to the list! Rian Johnson returned with another Benoit Blanc murder mystery, proving in the process that yes, lightning does indeed strike twice every so often. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Stagier, sunnier, sillier and more outlandish than 2019's <i>Knives Out, Glass Onion </i>is another sharply-written, smartly-executed film that is just a hoot from beginning to end. </div><div><br /></div><div>Written and directed with such gleeful energy, you could almost hear Johnson sniggering from behind the camera, as he pulls the strings and puts his A-list cast into all sorts of silly scenarios. </div><div><br /></div><div>With a tight, twisty noggin-scratcher for a plot, <i>Glass Onion</i> kept its audiences both giggling and guessing, with a trippingly light plot that serves as a funhouse mirror for our lives and times. Come for Daniel Craig's delightfully goofy Foghorn Leghorn-sounding accent; stay for Edward Norton's wonderful parody slash homage to the dim-witted billionaire we all love to hate.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">4th - Avatar: The Way of Water (dir. James Cameron)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGWITKjWeLq9jcNAYotV9LI7wxnrNCMdY8e05PVcrC0Lj6Knwph2c_blz_QuAGVihcDNtrPlvgjPWdTDOt0hk4XbWVlAD2Hr5NMYvp6_p_W1UNNYN6u1XCrxYRSmgExtEu8Dpr0k6sW9BNonrssTCnJ0OgMBibFDNkXr_0GoK05X48ch2b7LYMBMA/s742/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.00.22%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="742" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGWITKjWeLq9jcNAYotV9LI7wxnrNCMdY8e05PVcrC0Lj6Knwph2c_blz_QuAGVihcDNtrPlvgjPWdTDOt0hk4XbWVlAD2Hr5NMYvp6_p_W1UNNYN6u1XCrxYRSmgExtEu8Dpr0k6sW9BNonrssTCnJ0OgMBibFDNkXr_0GoK05X48ch2b7LYMBMA/w400-h289/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%203.00.22%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Big Jim is back! Thirteen years since the first, Cameron's long-awaited labour of love, the first of four <i>Avatar</i> sequels, arrived on the back of astronomical expectations. <br /><p></p><p><i>The Way of Water</i> sees Cameron continue to plough his own furrow, blissfully unbothered by broader trends or 'the doubters'. Clocking in at three hours and twelve minutes, <i>The Way of Water</i> is a sprawling, soaring cinematic epic that immerses its audience in the oceans and the beaches and the jungles of Pandora. It's a film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find, with the clearest, prettiest 3D you've seen since...well, the first one. </p><p>Not once did I feel like the film's pacing dragged; those three and a bit hours just flew by. But, as this is a Big Jim joint, it goes without saying that the action-driven third act is where the film really sings. As much as I loved sitting back and just letting the beautiful oceanography stuff just wash over me (pun intended), there's something so innately thrilling about Cameron letting loose and just going full tilt with the propulsive gunplay and acrobatic aerial shit at the end, much like he did in the first film.</p><p>It's Cameron doing what he does best, which is big, broad pictures with sweeping, sincere stakes and universal themes, motifs and melodrama. Who else can balance a rousing family story with some of the most arresting and rousing action this side of <i>Mad Max: Fury Road</i>? Lock in those cinema tickets, before it's gone – you won't regret it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgK1WOmKdX954HUU2Ara4LGWA0YJZq77tXOlac8qS_RRZ-1LNupUs0_RYrMWGi8jTNd5l6Vh8fV_5a9fbzwnRYUmClieJduaG2800CL1cUPCSSt_3MnlOW4Xd1tEv4Vv251BUXmOJskRgfQuqRgzu876wP5OQXVkZbb1s_IBkIM4AaHa5syKKvndt/s520/avatar-the-way-of-water-acegif-2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="520" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgK1WOmKdX954HUU2Ara4LGWA0YJZq77tXOlac8qS_RRZ-1LNupUs0_RYrMWGi8jTNd5l6Vh8fV_5a9fbzwnRYUmClieJduaG2800CL1cUPCSSt_3MnlOW4Xd1tEv4Vv251BUXmOJskRgfQuqRgzu876wP5OQXVkZbb1s_IBkIM4AaHa5syKKvndt/w640-h262/avatar-the-way-of-water-acegif-2.webp" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">3rd - Nope (dir. Jordan Peele)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXpsn-3FkYYVaLuJTQl7NxFYRbIVvL2LPezVhs6EN-EQ_Dkfyt7o9fe3RBF8WLc24UiLKnGBzGxt0OBJALIGUzqouaRRW_QyBSArFcapk2rFhywpKjdIo6Ctcxp8C_xeWgTdN02zrrbJv3C7VfrGVH7p9XVRz3a1OpkrMS663T6q69i5FzuH7c28T/s1546/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-26%20at%208.26.27%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1546" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXpsn-3FkYYVaLuJTQl7NxFYRbIVvL2LPezVhs6EN-EQ_Dkfyt7o9fe3RBF8WLc24UiLKnGBzGxt0OBJALIGUzqouaRRW_QyBSArFcapk2rFhywpKjdIo6Ctcxp8C_xeWgTdN02zrrbJv3C7VfrGVH7p9XVRz3a1OpkrMS663T6q69i5FzuH7c28T/w400-h268/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-26%20at%208.26.27%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Jordan Peele's third feature film is his biggest, his boldest and his bravest – a $70 million sci-fi thriller with more on its mind than the average tentpole film, which isn't afraid to put character, theme and some oblique storytelling front and centre. <br /><p></p><p>Rather than crafting another gnarly horror fable in the same mould as <i>Get Out</i> or <i>Us</i>, Peele changed tack and came up with something a little dreamier and fantastical – it's a film that is slow, deliberate and places its trust in the audience to stick with it while it puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.</p><p>When you peel back the layers, <i>Nope </i>is grappling with themes like exploitation, spectacle and capitalistic greed, and how those all intersect with tragedy and death. It's about how, even in the face of inexplicable horror, we struggle to look away. There's even religious undertones in here, with explicit Biblical references. It's something that rewards rewatches and repays those who dig a little deeper, eager to unearth meaning amidst the scares and spooks.</p>There's an unmistakable 'scaling up' here too; <i>Nope </i>is much bigger than anything Peele has done before, with some pretty big influences mixed in here too; shades of Spielberg, Kubrick and Shyamalan. A curious blockbuster that mixes a lot of ingredients into one big melting pot, <i>Nope </i>feels like Peele striving to broaden his horizons as a storyteller – and it's my hope that he continues down this path in future films.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CcGQTa5CtQowyCVjUNu1ic-Jple-fcxJs1BmWZD3Ktt8U4TME9OGaYmMa13_Z5Ji_L4aChUGHrjqJ9EwEtxY5tuIntuVh5Xf-26u0uk4CF-pxOY-nE-qmiyMXsA5AG8VQVc1w1NfLGe0Hb9t0pno0nrNCnEM-tbVKTgIJg5fwDOdK-_xFWnD99ql/s598/Nope02%20(1).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="598" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CcGQTa5CtQowyCVjUNu1ic-Jple-fcxJs1BmWZD3Ktt8U4TME9OGaYmMa13_Z5Ji_L4aChUGHrjqJ9EwEtxY5tuIntuVh5Xf-26u0uk4CF-pxOY-nE-qmiyMXsA5AG8VQVc1w1NfLGe0Hb9t0pno0nrNCnEM-tbVKTgIJg5fwDOdK-_xFWnD99ql/w640-h288/Nope02%20(1).gif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">2nd - The Batman (dir. Matt Reeves)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHRe87ki7sR0IZg7zv7MoNrvODoKdpn1FIv5Qsrdgen11iFcVaZgehdvgqfHWrQeFEkmre6VyymSIHgAEjT0v4Z5jPYs07GHSZvAIpPrRPk7fN6fdHaLPenDMR63281VmKST_BtWVahVQ63bX8dUDXwMD32o73dqTFAOfCZ0uWz_3WVQBa55NpP-H/s1792/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%204.21.25%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1792" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHRe87ki7sR0IZg7zv7MoNrvODoKdpn1FIv5Qsrdgen11iFcVaZgehdvgqfHWrQeFEkmre6VyymSIHgAEjT0v4Z5jPYs07GHSZvAIpPrRPk7fN6fdHaLPenDMR63281VmKST_BtWVahVQ63bX8dUDXwMD32o73dqTFAOfCZ0uWz_3WVQBa55NpP-H/w400-h280/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%204.21.25%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><div>From Burton and Schumacher to Nolan and Snyder, Batman has taken many forms over the years; quirky and Gothic, garish and cheesy, gritty and modern. And Matt Reeves' <i>The Batman</i> might've perfected it? I don't know, that's a bold claim – but for vast stretches of this film, it felt like we'd finally got the mixture juuuust right, with all the right ingredients to make this Gotham, the greatest Gotham of the lot.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moment to moment, Reeves is firing on all cylinders – the vibes are immaculate, as the kids say. From the opening sequence on a rain-soaked Halloween night to The Riddler emerging from the shadows in Mayor Mitchell's penthouse, to a fiery car chase that ends in carnage, to one of Batman and Catwoman's numerous rooftop liaisons, there's no shortage of memorable scenes in this sprawling three-hour murder mystery.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take away the capes, and <i>The Batman</i> was a grimy film noir through and through. Reeves and his cowriter Peter Craig honed in on the genre's trappings, eschewing flamboyant fights and propulsive pacing in favour of something much more melancholic and deliberate. Thematically, <i>The Batman</i> is grappling with Gotham's rotten core: politicians, city officials and dirty cops who take their cues from the mob. And there's even a femme fatale in the form of feline friend (or foe?) Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz, perfectly cast by the way).</div></div><div><br /></div>What impressed me most about <i>The Batman</i> wasn't its gorgeous visuals, its sublime casting, its production design or its riveting plot packed with murder, intrigue and deception. It was its ambition. Reeves could've played it safe and phoned in a Batman reboot that ticked boxes and sold tickets, but instead we were treated to something that was deeply weird, gruesome and at times, pretty bleak. I don't know, it just reaffirms that sometimes, even the hottest of properties can be a haven for creative, talented people.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJy70GBU7GCsxFwuluUYHlxwHHnJGEw7_I82kiK9tpegVh3sTQWACC3tpDh3Ky7D-S9PFbbKs5j2C8-wJ9m7CZkL7XXnxcXVn1blgjDZu17WpjFUfuUNUwl9fq0gua4b85s8sBciTmtuItXRn4Nlh4OcyRcvajTQhUoq-NFUWN8G6ATtgR8GJxcsA/s498/the-batman-catwoman.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="498" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJy70GBU7GCsxFwuluUYHlxwHHnJGEw7_I82kiK9tpegVh3sTQWACC3tpDh3Ky7D-S9PFbbKs5j2C8-wJ9m7CZkL7XXnxcXVn1blgjDZu17WpjFUfuUNUwl9fq0gua4b85s8sBciTmtuItXRn4Nlh4OcyRcvajTQhUoq-NFUWN8G6ATtgR8GJxcsA/w640-h264/the-batman-catwoman.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">1st - Top Gun: Maverick (dir. Joseph Kosinski) </span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYf4yV8Lur2Kv_t6WsSgz5aFWjjtMdE2613DUJVojjljv39yWBrEn-aUebEvb0F7g52lZ0gns3710mgR_8DxnjNwB04Gm6FU197Eruyr8L64DhP8PZpzCaW8I9IORh2ko61xa3hg9d_7wRye6fys4qfA8YwbtZ1hyhSUAvXNcj92r2jvlHuTYUlXj/s1744/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-29%20at%209.01.28%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="1744" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYf4yV8Lur2Kv_t6WsSgz5aFWjjtMdE2613DUJVojjljv39yWBrEn-aUebEvb0F7g52lZ0gns3710mgR_8DxnjNwB04Gm6FU197Eruyr8L64DhP8PZpzCaW8I9IORh2ko61xa3hg9d_7wRye6fys4qfA8YwbtZ1hyhSUAvXNcj92r2jvlHuTYUlXj/w400-h297/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-29%20at%209.01.28%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>If the concept of the 'movie star' is a thing of the past, someone forgot to tell Tom Cruise. <p></p><p>With dizzying stunts, propulsive action and stirring character moments in equal measure, <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i> is a peerless piece of blockbuster moviemaking that demonstrates that sometimes, they <i><b>do</b></i> make them like they used to.<br /></p><p>The action is<i> Top Gun: Maverick</i> is second-to-none; nothing else from 2022 comes remotely close. When a fighter jet races past Maverick's canopy, you can see the speed, feel the forces and almost smell the fumes. On a big cinema screen with surround sound, <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i> was arresting, edge-of-your-seat stuff – loaded with jaw-dropping moments the like of which we haven't seen since<i> Mad Max: Fury Road</i>. It's exactly the kind of theatrical experience that audiences have been starved of for so long; with clean and well-choreographed shots, wide angles and tidy edits that make the action easy to follow, even when there's half a dozen fighter jets engaged in a high-speed dogfight.</p><p>And the film was rewarded with $1.4 million in box-office receipts; the most of any film this year – which just goes to show that, when you give the audience what they want, they'll respond in kind. A rare breed of sequel that doesn't just improve on the original, but makes it look a bit naff by comparison, <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i> is a non-stop, full-throttle adrenaline rush. It feels like a throwback to another era, when airless backlots and sheets of green screen weren't the default. Seeing this film in all its glory on the biggest, widest, loudest screen possible is one that I will stay with me for a long time.</p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53cqIYc7z3tJQhRuDS4b3zY0_AsNY5b8fhG7BdVZ2Dhgj9uyXsG5rEywGjfwWEysFR7aH0K0ZHBiboAZUMV9dVWz4_PKTSLeePqAgr8YVUIsAfKbzJnHb0afYVzb10e9b3DCVV4R6Zf3oQLhcPd98-NEICT-6sTShKCW7G1xskq1BuZsGYY-YH1-S/s640/dec-18-2019-15-57-52-1576702683%20(1).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="640" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53cqIYc7z3tJQhRuDS4b3zY0_AsNY5b8fhG7BdVZ2Dhgj9uyXsG5rEywGjfwWEysFR7aH0K0ZHBiboAZUMV9dVWz4_PKTSLeePqAgr8YVUIsAfKbzJnHb0afYVzb10e9b3DCVV4R6Zf3oQLhcPd98-NEICT-6sTShKCW7G1xskq1BuZsGYY-YH1-S/w640-h322/dec-18-2019-15-57-52-1576702683%20(1).gif" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-36325857899678622802022-12-27T11:46:00.001+08:002022-12-27T11:47:45.495+08:00What I'm Watching: December 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQRHWbL_4uA3f_iX3Ebc3gszFxlB3sxP4eATXMYV7CjvgtN72e1G-Q11CPyxyfccckIigfRMD71BmIxxRSDt8IqJMeKflEvQr68a1ScxShz0SuExZd6EdAVhwcfJy70eOaREz01aCkyI8OseC-OvgOVTStCSyDm5aGLHHUUXvPXu5HE1oyqGCQoG5rQ/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(43).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQRHWbL_4uA3f_iX3Ebc3gszFxlB3sxP4eATXMYV7CjvgtN72e1G-Q11CPyxyfccckIigfRMD71BmIxxRSDt8IqJMeKflEvQr68a1ScxShz0SuExZd6EdAVhwcfJy70eOaREz01aCkyI8OseC-OvgOVTStCSyDm5aGLHHUUXvPXu5HE1oyqGCQoG5rQ/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(43).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b>A quick recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, including The Rock's superhero film debut <i>Black Adam</i>, Tim Burton's hit </b><b>Netflix series</b><b> <i>Wednesday</i>, foodie thriller <i>The Menu</i>, <i>The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special</i> and more.</b><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Black Adam (In cinemas)<br /></span></span><br /><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrsBtSH9c44iRyPDx5V-SXpJwvxl6tbs_HjHEyUiCgukyXBa_0GEuFwE3Q4b2WjFmccPmAoopoEFqkld7vzx6-Jt6hJwT1mYkl8S9gEhFHorsjlPTEYy97J2hd6VXSYyqpcaxpq94qG0tDwUSTL9F2hEx3V16YyiBs9-lsAMtvLsEpxfr5rNZ2hxsSQ/s1750/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%202.48.01%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1750" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrsBtSH9c44iRyPDx5V-SXpJwvxl6tbs_HjHEyUiCgukyXBa_0GEuFwE3Q4b2WjFmccPmAoopoEFqkld7vzx6-Jt6hJwT1mYkl8S9gEhFHorsjlPTEYy97J2hd6VXSYyqpcaxpq94qG0tDwUSTL9F2hEx3V16YyiBs9-lsAMtvLsEpxfr5rNZ2hxsSQ/w400-h323/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%202.48.01%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: 400;">You'd think that, given how much practice Hollywood has had with putting out decent superhero films in the last decade or two, that we'd never again see a truly abysmal one, on the level of Josh Trank's </span><i style="font-weight: 400;">Fantastic Four</i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or David Ayer's </span><i style="font-weight: 400;">Suicide Squad.</i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> <br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, think again, because DC newest and edgiest antihero Black Adam is a mind-shattering migraine in cinematic form, filled with weightless action and splashy visual effects from beginning to end and grade four narrative tissue to tie it all together. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">After years in development hell, <i>Black Adam</i> serves as The Rock's introduction to the genre – and, as someone who can't get hurt and only talks in skin-crawling one-liners that only he thinks are cool – it's the perfect superhero vehicle for someone of The Rock's celebrity stature and ego. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mix in some ham-fisted social commentary about a repressed vaguely Middle Eastern country and a swathe of supplemental superheroes (Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Dr Fate) for The Rock to square off with, and <i>Black Adam</i> is a recipe for seriously offensive superhero schlock. Really do not recommend, one possibly two stars if you're feeling really generous. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It should come as no surprise that incoming head honcho James Gunn hasn't already put this one out of its misery and all but ruled out a return to the world of <i>Black Adam</i>. Thank heavens. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Wednesday season one (Netflix)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNInYzAk_vU28oN-SogSfP8fziDXOihOOgxQ2N4lxaRtEz76ujgj80faNdpOvnkfe3PJZ-CHekmxXPmp2bWlO2lARX0pKiNNCLwHr84G_t5Jtytlp6MAMAbibvPPcJRve_8Tem-ONA5fe1hvHzqoy138iLuk7b1WSQvPhYyX84cJIYLiHgipe0JpQG/s1812/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%202.36.13%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1812" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNInYzAk_vU28oN-SogSfP8fziDXOihOOgxQ2N4lxaRtEz76ujgj80faNdpOvnkfe3PJZ-CHekmxXPmp2bWlO2lARX0pKiNNCLwHr84G_t5Jtytlp6MAMAbibvPPcJRve_8Tem-ONA5fe1hvHzqoy138iLuk7b1WSQvPhYyX84cJIYLiHgipe0JpQG/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-27%20at%202.36.13%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></div>This show is all that anyone has been talking and posting about for weeks – and because I suffer from major cultural zeitgeist FOMO, we decided to give it looksie over the Christmas break. I know, not the most festive choice – but we decided to give the same five Christmas movies a miss this year.<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, <i>Wednesday</i> is pretty good! Not great, but I can see why it's popular – it's easy and straightforward, working as both an active and a passive viewing experience whilst scrolling Twitter.<br /><br />Both literally and figuratively, Jenna Ortega is far and away the star of the show – her performance as the titular Addams family teenager is wonderfully dry and dastardly, with the occasional wry glint of snark. The guest appearances from Catherine Zeta-Jones, Fred Armisen and Luis Guzman as Morticia, Uncle Fester and Gomez are good too – and Christina Ricci's curious botany teacher is a delight as well.<br /><br />Stylistically, it's nothing to write home about – pretty conventional stuff. But like I said, it's decent enough without being super engaging or shocking. YA content can be much better than this, but also much worse. <br /><br /><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Menu (In cinemas)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZqeVnFetnwGvJPhpN3ebMHObKcSi6JBHucZZQs9Fm8GzrGjbOuFItoER6ZRJX8LBtnCpwQbn8WAhQUjw6e032uKjYeOVA9hZ7JRfkeqrKaXJGAqJBMYzHsBUwcFagcv6h9HlUEjxCBpWS_7Wvm_n5Ob2cKPoddx-8PPT_yuxVm0tnuS8ur95rVcXxw/s1696/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-02%20at%205.02.17%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1696" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZqeVnFetnwGvJPhpN3ebMHObKcSi6JBHucZZQs9Fm8GzrGjbOuFItoER6ZRJX8LBtnCpwQbn8WAhQUjw6e032uKjYeOVA9hZ7JRfkeqrKaXJGAqJBMYzHsBUwcFagcv6h9HlUEjxCBpWS_7Wvm_n5Ob2cKPoddx-8PPT_yuxVm0tnuS8ur95rVcXxw/w400-h310/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-02%20at%205.02.17%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Mark Mylod's <i>The Menu</i> is a sharp satire that delivers plenty thrills and spills, even if its theme of 'eat the rich' is served in a rather blunt fashion.<br /><p></p><p>Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicolas Hoult play Margot and Tyler, a young couple who have forked out for an evening at high-end restaurant run by renowned chef, Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). So exclusive is this restaurant, that you have to travel to the private island where is resides by boat, accompanied by only a dozen or so other patrons paying through the nose. </p><p>However, all is not as it seems. Slowik demonstrates a disdain for his diners and bit by bit, the evening starts to unravel for Margot and her oblivious beau. </p><p>Suffice to say, much like the food served at Slowik's restaurant, The Menu is a little unconventional and off-kilter. A mishmash of thriller, black comedy and some horror, Myold's film feels thematically of a piece with other recent 'eat the rich' films, like <i>Ready or Not</i> or <i>Bodies Bodies Bodies</i>. It's not subtle about its intentions either, so if subtext that is pretty much just text is your jam, <i>The Menu</i> is probably to your liking. </p><p>Taylor-Joy continues to be an electric and captivating lead, and her interplay with both Hoult dim-witted fanboy and Fiennes' sinister yet somehow also a little sympathetic chef is probably the film's strongest suit. It looks like a million dollars too, with sleek production design and camerawork. The amusing title cards that tee up each course as they're plated up is a great recurring gag too. <br /><br /></p><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Beast (VOD)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlETmmm8HhWDDRKprlYN-nwchilGjG6SRoC4z0SKk3UiNZNH2-u12IU9SmalpCbZSWuHQ1EHfMpj-7OeK61r9GPfvIK0rPEVO9220BVmzAZADCOpKU1fmeYGI6bDTCVHw_4B7hno6HjiOLLmgPMu3uVW-gMlS5c0e3Yjw3eib_1V6cAYnBbhDPkmSI/s941/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-18%20at%209.28.10%20am.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="941" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlETmmm8HhWDDRKprlYN-nwchilGjG6SRoC4z0SKk3UiNZNH2-u12IU9SmalpCbZSWuHQ1EHfMpj-7OeK61r9GPfvIK0rPEVO9220BVmzAZADCOpKU1fmeYGI6bDTCVHw_4B7hno6HjiOLLmgPMu3uVW-gMlS5c0e3Yjw3eib_1V6cAYnBbhDPkmSI/w400-h280/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-18%20at%209.28.10%20am.png" width="400" /><br /><br /></a><a href="#"></a></div>First there was Sam Jackson versus snakes; then there was Liam Neeson versus wolves. And now the latest film in the 'man versus beast' subgenre is, well, <i>Beast</i>, starring Idris Elba as a widowed man who takes his two tween daughters to the South African savannah, to reconnect with their late mother's roots. <br /><p></p><p>Their expedition soon turns sour, however, when they find themselves stalked by a vicious lion with a vendetta against poachers, as well as any other humans unlucky enough to get in its way. </p><p>Clocking in at just a smidge over 90 minutes, <i>Beast</i> doesn't outstay its welcome – it gets in, does what it says on the tin and gets out. It's a no frills, boots on the ground thriller where Elba and costar Sharlto Copley, who plays an old friend and the reserve's resident anti-poacher, have to both evade the fearsome lion who has a taste for blood, other nasties that roam the savannah and also armed poachers.</p>Director Baltasar Kormákur does add a little bit of flair here and there, with lots of long, winding takes that follow Elba and his daughters through the world, from abandoned villages to ramshackle schools. And the CGI on the lion itself is pretty impressive, even if it takes a bit of imagination to believe a lion would truly stalk and hunt people quite like this. Still, a serviceable three star thriller. <div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Black Phone (VOD) and Smile (VOD)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJPiCwkFgjGXU3CqyKYx5pJhQff8QC5-LQPwJL1CTRYXRI9FLlwj5phq9sHun6gnVyPPIW1TEfAUW25eslNsA2vZ1Hx4a65sqscXgRCAqF5fS6AkrvhFCEZHGZH_YfdXbDIvUHDT5S5EQgNr4J98V-SBllHtyb8TiBd1k6N_8w8sdykKAGKn9rQs0/s1924/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%2012.37.01%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="1924" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJPiCwkFgjGXU3CqyKYx5pJhQff8QC5-LQPwJL1CTRYXRI9FLlwj5phq9sHun6gnVyPPIW1TEfAUW25eslNsA2vZ1Hx4a65sqscXgRCAqF5fS6AkrvhFCEZHGZH_YfdXbDIvUHDT5S5EQgNr4J98V-SBllHtyb8TiBd1k6N_8w8sdykKAGKn9rQs0/w400-h296/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-21%20at%2012.37.01%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Scott Derrickson's <i>The Black Phone</i> and Parker Finn's debut feature <i>Smile</i> have been two of the horror box office success stories of the year, racking up $160 million and $215 million respectively. I'm not much of a horror fiend, but my wife is, so we sought these out when they were available for rent. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>First off, <i>The Black Phone</i>; in short, pretty good! Set in 70s Denver, Ethan Hawke gives a good performance as The Grabber, a masked man who snatches children off the street. Mason Thames plays Finney Blake, The Grabber's latest victim, who finds himself able to converse with previous captives via a black telephone in the soundproof basement where he's being held. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think Derrickson does a good job of evoking the era here, and Hawke is a really chilling villain, with a larger-than-life performance - the design of his mask is a memorable one. There's a mystical element to the story too, as Finney's sister Gwen sees visions of The Grabber and is able to help police track her brother down. Pretty good overall, but not as scary as you would expect from the man who made <i>Sinister</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, Smile is a film in the same vein as It Follows, in that it centres around a supernatural force that passes from victim to victim, after they witness something traumatic or tragic. It's a more classically scary horror movie too, with jump scares galore – maybe a few too many for my liking, if I'm honest. </div><div><br /></div><div>It goes to some really creepy places as well, so maybe steer clear unless you have a strong stomach. There's a lot of gooey, gory stuff here for horror fiends – but I think it just a smidge too much for me.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVjEgEzJmd5UkO4AQ0sjLkJvdAiA_XATJYaLFOMbGsQELv_GiYWju9upxVT_87Ms9kBFFUdCQu1PF0sJe3o9r2kezr5TkSjR9Zi4ppImxaddUIQqq7wC5mfCaII7I8Tlf-uOs0mE49wJXZ8KNY_bUZvNkk0xbEEVNntGx88VM49PUfh-Mkp41cb4i/s1768/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-16%20at%206.08.52%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1768" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVjEgEzJmd5UkO4AQ0sjLkJvdAiA_XATJYaLFOMbGsQELv_GiYWju9upxVT_87Ms9kBFFUdCQu1PF0sJe3o9r2kezr5TkSjR9Zi4ppImxaddUIQqq7wC5mfCaII7I8Tlf-uOs0mE49wJXZ8KNY_bUZvNkk0xbEEVNntGx88VM49PUfh-Mkp41cb4i/w400-h310/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-16%20at%206.08.52%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Marvel is really broadening its horizons of late, with TV shows about niche characters and now some 'feature presentations' that are the streaming equivalent of a single-issue comic book that may (or may not, who really knows or cares?) be canon. <br /><p></p><p>The latest is The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which is little more than a 35-minute story about Mantis and Drax journeying to Earth to kidnap Star-Lord's favourite actor, Kevin Bacon, and bring him back to Knowhere as a surprise. </p><p>In terms of plot, that's pretty much it - much of the runtime is dedicated to the shenanigans that Mantis and Drax get up to while on Earth, like taking photos with tourists outside the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, getting turnt in a LA bar, and chasing Kevin Bacon around his Beverley Hills mansion. Throw in a couple of musical numbers, some animated bookends that flash back to Star-Lord's childhood, and BAM! There's your whole runtime. </p><p>Did I have fun with this one? Sure, but it was only on in the background while I cooked. Will I watch it again next Christmas, or the Christmas after that? No, of course not. Cheap, quick and easy, I doubt anyone will be revisiting this more than once - even if there's some sincerity and sweet sentiment in here, particularly between Star-Lord and Mantis. </p></div></div>rhyscpascoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958989487003807107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-68385830927534689762022-12-24T16:43:00.001+08:002022-12-24T18:22:35.426+08:00Film Review: Glass Onion<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4aYqLsdeInlBQzTjo17vImZ_He7wGHKdVfEgcyQwmnAQA3mgweNH_cruP6RBHNQxU8Vv5Kogy_iAaCDnZ6woRCbq4tdQZaDqaFdAj8zNRB0fAvailhdxikX6uYy89dKRJPCC2OPvPxo0aac94PkLsXHH69KzEtuGksALz-rV2EeMTz3HKWxsF2Pc/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(45).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4aYqLsdeInlBQzTjo17vImZ_He7wGHKdVfEgcyQwmnAQA3mgweNH_cruP6RBHNQxU8Vv5Kogy_iAaCDnZ6woRCbq4tdQZaDqaFdAj8zNRB0fAvailhdxikX6uYy89dKRJPCC2OPvPxo0aac94PkLsXHH69KzEtuGksALz-rV2EeMTz3HKWxsF2Pc/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(45).png" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>Daniel Craig is back as Southern detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson's <i>Glass Onion</i> – but can this European mystery live up to the high bar set by 2019's <i>Knives Out</i>?<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk4yRq0w3YZKix321hnm973Ot7YtYkdi5GS3dimBYVcDTtiv5Sz-1lWu2rVEYD5aA0Pg-Fg5ruf5zUGEl2cp_9g1resRIrTHEt-sRjgPJ9ZX5CcuAb1iXN8tvfsU8tCVRHFKay-RQustrJjzU2hryxeeRkvhaJwwsT7KkRoPAsZecc_qE-YDHBoMK/s1926/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.33.59%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1926" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk4yRq0w3YZKix321hnm973Ot7YtYkdi5GS3dimBYVcDTtiv5Sz-1lWu2rVEYD5aA0Pg-Fg5ruf5zUGEl2cp_9g1resRIrTHEt-sRjgPJ9ZX5CcuAb1iXN8tvfsU8tCVRHFKay-RQustrJjzU2hryxeeRkvhaJwwsT7KkRoPAsZecc_qE-YDHBoMK/w400-h271/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.33.59%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Wind the clock back to November 2019, and one film was the talk of Tinseltown – Rian Johnson's $40 million movie <i>Knives Out</i> was making serious bank, raking in an impressive $312 million worldwide and minting a new murder mystery maestro in Daniel Craig's smooth-talking, Foghorn Leghorn-sounding detective, Benoit Blanc. <br /><p></p><p>It seemed like only a matter of time that it would spawn a sequel – but I don't think anyone could have predicted Netflix swooping in and scoring the rights to two sequels for a scarcely believable $469 million. </p><p>But here we are, three years later and <i>Glass Onion</i> – which takes its title from a song from The Beatles' White Album – has arrived on Netflix, after a brief but buzzy stint in cinemas last month. In it, Johnson has swapped the chilly autumnal New England setting of the first film for the sun-drenched shorelines of Greece, as Blanc is swept up in a seriously strange story that centres around elusive tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) and a group of his business partners and associates. </p><p>Bron is hosting a murder mystery party, and he's invited some of his nearest and dearest to take part – politician Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jnr), Twitch personality Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), supermodel Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) and former business partner Cassandra Brand (Janelle Monae). As you might expect, each member of Miles' posse possess a uniquely dangerous motive to want him out of the picture, which is why Blanc's unexpected arrival causes such a stir.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_O38h1GZm1v-v73p7xeI-Of0o9UDzSsCxypCyjtNO-4K8Us3m1dc9WyraGT7HOTLNy1JcDNj8udWlaxFW7M4KQPCIYWPK7zs_COmhIb9OMqS4-AU2LPw9zcrR1EftqxV5mQCPGKUC5wP_h1G66PjBc5gezAuAMOjI07g5Bih2ZxftCxbiPK9RoFS/s1980/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.34.27%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1980" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_O38h1GZm1v-v73p7xeI-Of0o9UDzSsCxypCyjtNO-4K8Us3m1dc9WyraGT7HOTLNy1JcDNj8udWlaxFW7M4KQPCIYWPK7zs_COmhIb9OMqS4-AU2LPw9zcrR1EftqxV5mQCPGKUC5wP_h1G66PjBc5gezAuAMOjI07g5Bih2ZxftCxbiPK9RoFS/w640-h248/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.34.27%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Soon enough, someone winds up dead and it's up to Blanc to untangle the various threads. But this being a Rian Johnson film, there's plenty of duplicitous double-backs and reversals to keep you guessing – so much so, that you'll immediately want to watch it again, to see how it all ties together. Spoiler alert: it does, seamlessly.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr3V5GbEZMVWxy19NeBLvyc0sQuqTSODdjunD0lDHFU7FHIGjm6Q3Ff_Z5bLxjpJkuc2K_8ZG7kNfEH9574hPKA4pIRqlLZ0iknC8_a9mULpvIQf02QNzJMQfAL-zbPRJWIyEdsP_3-nU2Nnh_sU0SSvRPAdn1GQbZA3S_HHODEJX2rifTLIXE8bn/s1296/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.35.04%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1052" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr3V5GbEZMVWxy19NeBLvyc0sQuqTSODdjunD0lDHFU7FHIGjm6Q3Ff_Z5bLxjpJkuc2K_8ZG7kNfEH9574hPKA4pIRqlLZ0iknC8_a9mULpvIQf02QNzJMQfAL-zbPRJWIyEdsP_3-nU2Nnh_sU0SSvRPAdn1GQbZA3S_HHODEJX2rifTLIXE8bn/w325-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-24%20at%205.35.04%20pm.png" width="325" /></a></div><div><i>Glass Onion</i> is written and directed with such glee, that you can almost hear Johnson giggling wryly to himself during production. So sharp and so smart, it's definitely sillier than Knives Out, not to mention more outlandish. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bron – and by extension, his lavish Greek pad – is a caricature of buffoonish billionaires (paging Mr Musk...), so Johnson is having a lot of fun poking fun at the rich, the famous and their kooks and quirks. Norton, to his credit, just nails it – he's note-perfect a dim-witted and self-obsessed tech mogul who delights in renting the real Mona Lisa or shipping his supercar to a remote Greek island where it will sit, just gathering dust. </div><div><br /></div><div>Similarly, Hudson is hilarious as this vapid, two sandwiches short of a picnic supermodel. But the film's MVP is definitely Monae, who has a lot to do and I can't expand on that without getting into spoiler territory. </div><div><br /></div><div>I guess the ultimate question is, is <i>Glass Onion</i> better than <i>Knives Out</i>? To that I say, it doesn't really matter, does it – not when they're both this good, this entertaining, this rewatchable. Glass Onion is another hoot, another tight and twisty noggin-scratcher that scratches that 'clever movies for adults' itch. Put me down for the next one, and the one after that, and the one after that...</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 9/10</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div>Another home run for Johnson and another delightful performance from Craig. <i>Glass Onion</i> is hilarious, gripping, smart and rewarding from start to finish. </div><div><br /><div><b>Glass Onion is streaming on Netflix right now.</b><p></p></div></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-89778499084576462522022-12-17T19:20:00.004+08:002022-12-17T19:20:51.425+08:00Film Review: Avatar – The Way of Water<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MD21He7q5FC0LjRWKSuSxgzpi1dzBZqam4ersUh78r836PYtEI8_59ZKCMFJY-puE9iO6lNNV3aNTprwvRRupw5HbjIjyp09ZCu-ZFQzvVT76LF5oAg9rUpWTGQK7morXPr6L65nf5321yP3PONGPVwhN1D767PtKYjih0ndDkqjbkWtgB4d0sH-/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(44).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MD21He7q5FC0LjRWKSuSxgzpi1dzBZqam4ersUh78r836PYtEI8_59ZKCMFJY-puE9iO6lNNV3aNTprwvRRupw5HbjIjyp09ZCu-ZFQzvVT76LF5oAg9rUpWTGQK7morXPr6L65nf5321yP3PONGPVwhN1D767PtKYjih0ndDkqjbkWtgB4d0sH-/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(44).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>A staggering thirteen years after the first, Big Jim Cameron returns to Pandora for The Way of Water, reportedly the first of four Avatar sequels coming over the horizon. So, how does it stack up to the original, which to this day remains the biggest film of all time?<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiMOp7EzWJiyGl5vzcfrUWcUZnIus4Ywh3NIT9SyfvFBm89ppicSbgiecVwpz1ybfQtmQgCl1UspDTU5yTaJOV7K4qk6e7SshqT2-caHFyOLpRI8mcq_mpYEOUTVwIIMG6pgDcvIg1qksF1d3SkGT_XPcOvqUihZLJdOufcrkRFh8ITCzuj_XYZH-/s1944/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.11.15%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1944" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiMOp7EzWJiyGl5vzcfrUWcUZnIus4Ywh3NIT9SyfvFBm89ppicSbgiecVwpz1ybfQtmQgCl1UspDTU5yTaJOV7K4qk6e7SshqT2-caHFyOLpRI8mcq_mpYEOUTVwIIMG6pgDcvIg1qksF1d3SkGT_XPcOvqUihZLJdOufcrkRFh8ITCzuj_XYZH-/w400-h293/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.11.15%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><span></span><i>Avatar</i>, the first one, hit cinemas all the way back in 2009, and it's hard to wrap my head around just how much has changed in the intervening thirteen years. I was still in high school back then! Now I'm on the cusp of my thirties! So kudos to James Cameron, perhaps the biggest and boldest blockbuster filmmaker to ever do it, for not shying away from the task of serving up a sequel to the original $2 billion barnstormer. <br /><p></p><p><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i> picks up with our hero character Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), now fully in his Avatar form, ten years after the events of the first film. In that time, he's fathered three and adopted one child with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and grown into a respected chieftain of his Na'vi tribe. </p><p>However, the family's peaceful life is shattered when 'the Sky People' return to Pandora, bringing with them hordes of mechanised weaponry and ways to raze the lush jungle to ash. Jake and Neytiri stage a fierce resistance at first, but a returning Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) has his sights set on destroying the Na'vi way of life – so Jake uproots his family and journeys out of the jungle, to the churning ocean and lush islands to the east. It's here that they must reacclimatise to the their surroundings and a new way of life – the way of water. </p><p>As far as plot goes, those are the broad strokes – Cameron does furnish the story with a lot of individual arcs, family drama and emotional beats, but <i>The Way of Water</i> is brilliantly unburdened by clunky plot. At its core, this is a story about family – about a husband and a wife, about a father and his sons, about brothers and sisters. We spent a lot of time in the world of the Metkayina reef tribe, learning about their culture and their ways, as well as lots of time with the Sully family. The story and its weightiness flows naturally from this familiarity we forge with the family, rather than MacGuffins or clunky story engines. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-01fbtnvsDzajIZPHKCEeq4wvDmPMO9MaEww2STwKSyaIeEVazyG8ph4wz8zSZfM0afEzaXR_iv20dkPR1LjM6nWHN31i7MsfEGUiRixJkWYyiU34_3aL3MHickmlRY8TMxVqNoDpGB0m_k9D4fl0lDlO2iWe0QaGqsoHLcyDg1IOJ6cplp1ypPnk/s2148/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.10.56%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="2148" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-01fbtnvsDzajIZPHKCEeq4wvDmPMO9MaEww2STwKSyaIeEVazyG8ph4wz8zSZfM0afEzaXR_iv20dkPR1LjM6nWHN31i7MsfEGUiRixJkWYyiU34_3aL3MHickmlRY8TMxVqNoDpGB0m_k9D4fl0lDlO2iWe0QaGqsoHLcyDg1IOJ6cplp1ypPnk/w640-h324/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.10.56%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQOsM-YYz1-vkiao-9b1sOSv-cG4pi62LtUeQ70nGHcfTv39ToRaGKZeA8LHwkbq0889Sr3HqIk9nWp6K3MuoVWi6dBkc2MZAj6K-HWDTp8DWZurU-8EJaiJFU6pwjJoOZFHr7HNJ2zISghUnT30v_phksKU_Lp-hVTkGxFBc_2mc9hYjLJFC-yqe/s1580/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.16.42%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1580" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQOsM-YYz1-vkiao-9b1sOSv-cG4pi62LtUeQ70nGHcfTv39ToRaGKZeA8LHwkbq0889Sr3HqIk9nWp6K3MuoVWi6dBkc2MZAj6K-HWDTp8DWZurU-8EJaiJFU6pwjJoOZFHr7HNJ2zISghUnT30v_phksKU_Lp-hVTkGxFBc_2mc9hYjLJFC-yqe/w400-h297/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.16.42%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Of the four Sully kids, the two that we spend the most time with are Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), the adopted daughter who was mysteriously born from Weaver's original character, Dr Grace Augustine, and Lo'ak (Britain Dalton), their second son who sees himself as something of a loner and an outcast. Also key to this story are Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet, who play the Metkayina chieftain and his wife respectively. <br /><p></p><p><i>The Way of Water</i>'s runtime is broken up into three chunks; the first 45 minutes, where we're introduced to the world and the characters, the middle hour or so where the Sully clan readjust to their new home, and the final hour, where the conflict and the characters all come to a head and clash before the conclusion. Cameron delights in delivering all three; there's lots of heady sci-fi in the first act, the pace slows right down and we delve deep into the ocean and its creatures in the second, before Cameron scratches his explosive action itch in the finale. </p><p>Not once did I feel like the film's pacing dragged; those three and a bit hours just flew by. But it goes without saying that the action-driven third act is where the film really soars. As much as I loved sitting back and just letting the beautiful oceanography stuff just wash over me (pun intended), there's something so innately thrilling about Cameron letting loose and just going full tilt with the propulsive gunplay and acrobatic aerial shit at the end, much like he did in the first film. </p><p>If you can, I would highly recommend seeing this film on the biggest screen you can, in 3D. I'm not a fan of 3D films at all, and I'm sorta glad they've fallen out of fashion these past few years – but <i>The Way of Water</i> is made to be seen this way. After the first 10 or 15 minutes (where I had to rewire my brain a little to adjust), the 3D just becomes second-nature – it's so seamless. The clarity is second to none, especially in that middle act where we're just submerged in crystal blue seas and surrounded by colourful coral, frenetic schools of fish and shimmering waters. To say it's gorgeous to look at doesn't do it justice.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_RrOvJii0pAVs9chAViW9fmtC4wZsmywEdw06G-GYCmmS1Ozk2JWNZicYfqvSHv-o-2blcBIYGB3P4I20c21VFdjcApWxvV2QGiad8cEhaEKMe_tqucI63CH1fD4Z8zOoeyO4M9oxTwpDvqVkUcWhBazvB3TZXXwmTvhNdFTEXUzwUkfgrZfKB-s/s1412/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.10.39%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_RrOvJii0pAVs9chAViW9fmtC4wZsmywEdw06G-GYCmmS1Ozk2JWNZicYfqvSHv-o-2blcBIYGB3P4I20c21VFdjcApWxvV2QGiad8cEhaEKMe_tqucI63CH1fD4Z8zOoeyO4M9oxTwpDvqVkUcWhBazvB3TZXXwmTvhNdFTEXUzwUkfgrZfKB-s/w281-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-17%20at%2010.10.39%20pm.png" width="281" /></a></div>And that's kind of the point of <i>The Way of Water</i> – it's an event picture. A theatrical experience unlike any we've seen for a while. I'm a huge proponent of the theatrical experience, and Avatar is the perfect example of why the world would be a poorer place if theatres died off. Seeing this film at home on your TV screen – even a big HD one! – isn't the same as seeing it in 3D, HFR, on the biggest screen you can find. <br /><p></p><p>The plot is almost secondary to the vibes of the thing – and even that excels. I just found myself swept up in the world and its wondrousness (is that a word?), as well as its characters and their worries. It's not the most complex film ever, or even the most unexpected – but it's definitely an unmissable experience, much like the first was all those years ago. </p><p>It's Cameron doing what he does best, which is big, broad pictures with sweeping, sincere stakes and universal themes, motifs and melodrama. Who else can balance a rousing family story with some of the most arresting and rousing action this side of <i>Fury Road</i>? Lock in those cinema tickets, before it's gone – you won't regret it. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 9/10</span></span></h3><p>The continuing adventures of Jake Sully and Neytiri are the bedrock upon which Cameron has built another towering sequel, which squares up to his past achievements with <i>Terminator</i> and <i>Aliens</i>. Just settle in and enjoy the ride, because Big Jim relishes in moving up through the gears until he's firing on all cylinders in that final act. </p><p><b><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i> is in cinemas across Australia now.</b></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-51021324085234362262022-12-08T15:11:00.001+08:002023-01-02T16:27:56.143+08:00My Top 10 TV Shows of 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWmQr-rrLXM67TmuK2oNRZBJMYUy76hksTRnEkQaQ6Nsyfff3CRGj7BXPgMcS5J4ZiWyRTt0khEHvbcHogeCv5-r7VMrwVNW-PpcBRgTYBDJp9U2tSSU-yWoi5XlSazHICtx_psKo5ieAd2vJq20-kFA2tQjXbFgYB5RyvaBjOdHxJAYVxh1RYGRL/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(49).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWmQr-rrLXM67TmuK2oNRZBJMYUy76hksTRnEkQaQ6Nsyfff3CRGj7BXPgMcS5J4ZiWyRTt0khEHvbcHogeCv5-r7VMrwVNW-PpcBRgTYBDJp9U2tSSU-yWoi5XlSazHICtx_psKo5ieAd2vJq20-kFA2tQjXbFgYB5RyvaBjOdHxJAYVxh1RYGRL/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(49).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>With more to stream than ever before, there's no shortage of great stuff out there – which means making a top ten list is trickier than ever before too. Nevertheless, I've put my thinking cap on and cooked up a list of my favourite shows and series from 2022. Read on to find out what made the cut...</b></div><div></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><b>Honourable mentions:</b> <i>Black Bird</i> (Apple TV+), <i>Yellowjackets</i> (Paramount+), <i>The Staircase</i> (HBO Max), <i>The Rehearsal</i> (HBO), <i>Westworld</i> (HBO), <i>Barry</i> (HBO), <i>Euphoria</i> (HBO), <i>Peacemaker</i> (HBO Max), <i>Ozark</i> (Netflix), <i>The After Party</i> (Apple TV+).</div><div><br /></div><div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">10) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one (Prime Video)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div></div>There's fantasy TV, and then there's fantasy TV. Prime Video's billion-dollar blockbuster show is definitely the latter, and rarely has television felt quite as vast and luscious as this. Right from the first episode, it was clear that there's scope to spare, and across the following seven, showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay took us on a whistle-stop tour of Middle-Earth and beyond, from the Elven lands of Lindon and the towering turrets of Numenor to the Dwarven halls of Khazad-Dum and icy northern wastelands of Forodwaith. This was still Tolkien's world, mixed with Jackson's vision, through the lens of new creatives, with a new story to tell, new vistas to paint and new horizons to cross. </div><div><br /></div><div>Juggling a large ensemble is never easy, and <i>The Rings of Power</i> brought them all together – from harfoots and handmaidens and more. Lavish production design is one thing, but using that to tell a compelling and rewarding story is another. <i>The Rings of Power</i> took its time to weave a layered story about Sauron's return to the fold, and tees up bigger and even better things down the track. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSoAKc3jtWYtNZVMGwIAuyAoLZTNiLgjtp8AZdBL4SL42TTwpo9ostBYRB9U4vwcN9UsVnBoQsnxhy5Mx2SOxi8cqDDZysE7hGH57BqqVwfJcYqLAwz6lJgkiOPIspNXCW7aS2c48NpvCsM-9rYxZwHlhS7I1hH1Po0v31qkP0xxorP3tltlPfoUXf/s2318/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.59.09%20am.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="2318" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSoAKc3jtWYtNZVMGwIAuyAoLZTNiLgjtp8AZdBL4SL42TTwpo9ostBYRB9U4vwcN9UsVnBoQsnxhy5Mx2SOxi8cqDDZysE7hGH57BqqVwfJcYqLAwz6lJgkiOPIspNXCW7aS2c48NpvCsM-9rYxZwHlhS7I1hH1Po0v31qkP0xxorP3tltlPfoUXf/w640-h282/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.59.09%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">9) The Boys season three (Prime Video)</span></h3><div><br /></div></div><div>Look, there are some things I simply cannot unsee thanks to season three of <i>The Boys</i>. This show's ability to conjure up the goriest, gooiest and grossest visuals is second to none, and for that I applaud it. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>But here's the thing; <i>The Boys</i> is about so much more than just vast superhero orgies and exploding urethras. Nestled amongst the lewd and the crude, is some of the sharpest and most incisive satire currently streaming. And the fact that those this show is commenting on (and in most cases, straight up roasting) can't or won't see that it's about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1CrpH_-q9g">them</a>, is the best part. This show just goes from strength to strength, with season three possibly being the strongest yet. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8t4X9NqISk-VIRJJZxQ1WfAq8fxY9EintkYQr8tF3mMgiYmDNJCzZuFV2u21jyB6X_BHovhM9FHr02vilNkOPszkmUaGokYlu7Rcso0T-60wDfWsrVbAMvkYwrSQ1kUrX5yFvEDL13EsGhvcqLCQ02Uy4NR2xNK6DdYxmpRgpGp6ZabFq2MpWv-0Y/s2286/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-26%20at%2010.34.52%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="2286" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8t4X9NqISk-VIRJJZxQ1WfAq8fxY9EintkYQr8tF3mMgiYmDNJCzZuFV2u21jyB6X_BHovhM9FHr02vilNkOPszkmUaGokYlu7Rcso0T-60wDfWsrVbAMvkYwrSQ1kUrX5yFvEDL13EsGhvcqLCQ02Uy4NR2xNK6DdYxmpRgpGp6ZabFq2MpWv-0Y/w640-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-26%20at%2010.34.52%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">8) Stranger Things season four (Netflix)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div></div><div>The biggest, boldest and strangest <i>Stranger Things</i> yet, Netflix's summer tentpole series was almost enough to justify the subscription fee hikes all by itself. Alright maybe that's going too far, but you catch my drift – without it, Netflix would be seriously flagging behind its streaming competitors. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Complete with episodes with runtimes to rival some of Hollywood's splashiest sequels, this season of <i>Stranger Things</i> saw the Duffer Brothers up the ante and then some. With a new villain, Vecna, causing trouble for the teens of Hawkins, there was a sense that <i>Stranger Things</i> had finally scaled up to match the original ambitions of its creators. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the ensemble cast is getting a bit too big, and I really could have done without that whole Russia subplot that kinda went nowhere, the thrill of <i>Stranger Things</i> is in seeing what loopy, squelchy thing lurks around the next corner, and if there's one department in which this season excelled, it was the monsters and the frights. Plus, it introduced millions of clueless zoomers to Kate Bush, so bonus points for that.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1VMcvxMDD19v9LmYc8LLBNyW1w8qGyNjJuqWPRuFn_WG8fm73fE8WEnrbiGnzMrLghYEN36VI2BbEMGYH-AkgaZ3VRh2Vd7RPq42-RyB0-R-_ZUPfTTGK7YOLZZLmPhPe6gSoxch576pViAdrYfa2iKC8A8Chyld-cb4rGe4wLHYrOE344XA-vqw/s2504/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-26%20at%2010.27.34%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2504" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1VMcvxMDD19v9LmYc8LLBNyW1w8qGyNjJuqWPRuFn_WG8fm73fE8WEnrbiGnzMrLghYEN36VI2BbEMGYH-AkgaZ3VRh2Vd7RPq42-RyB0-R-_ZUPfTTGK7YOLZZLmPhPe6gSoxch576pViAdrYfa2iKC8A8Chyld-cb4rGe4wLHYrOE344XA-vqw/w640-h328/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-26%20at%2010.27.34%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">7) Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season one (Paramount+)</span></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAqXhQ4t12y_4KM_lX0WxAgr5ZmYg24g4axVQC-HLpVskIBZlnvijBBurl04EWc0uQZj9AfisbzHGtZ5iqdiAGWe5Sf5qrniHcEniCzxl_hJrHFxya_uYBnF9fvZCfPEvT16L2l4eQkyhu3nG55dJrBM1BHuU-VL-2lmrT5LldxOGIFqds9iKe690/s2560/StangeNewWorlds_18_NurseChapelEnviro_JD_3054_V2_FNL_f.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAqXhQ4t12y_4KM_lX0WxAgr5ZmYg24g4axVQC-HLpVskIBZlnvijBBurl04EWc0uQZj9AfisbzHGtZ5iqdiAGWe5Sf5qrniHcEniCzxl_hJrHFxya_uYBnF9fvZCfPEvT16L2l4eQkyhu3nG55dJrBM1BHuU-VL-2lmrT5LldxOGIFqds9iKe690/w400-h300/StangeNewWorlds_18_NurseChapelEnviro_JD_3054_V2_FNL_f.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Aside from liking the 2009 reboot and its two sequels, I wouldn't consider myself a particularly knowledgeable Trekkie – which is perhaps why I found the latest Star Trek series, <i>Strange New Worlds</i>, so easy to vibe with.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Billed as a good entry point for newbies, <i>Strange New Worlds</i> is a spin-off of <i>Discovery</i> and a prequel to <i>The Original Series</i>; so much so that it features classic characters – Spock, Uhura, Captain Pike, James T. Kirk – that a layman like me has actually heard of! </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>With glossy production design and visual effects that put the vast majority of other streaming shows to shame, and a neat balance of episodic stories and a broader arc to tie it all together, <i>Strange New Worlds</i> didn't hit a bum note once across its ten-episode first season. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">6) Severance season one (Apple TV+)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKML9xlIlAErFGUxKM9i9-K4HnHbieehV0fhOJKSB8MbN-IETc6D-pI0S_FVBkikHHMU3_gz4RCkoj6B86ce7lJM4cjJqDGvAK2xmAcujPSec3mNAXoXkrKTF-TLVpKgP0OHvejD6FoGPtTisZc0dt9h_QKDeCvRyPsmN1jt-841OdU2v_OIOMV4j6/s1962/Screen%20Shot%202022-03-30%20at%2012.55.18%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1962" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKML9xlIlAErFGUxKM9i9-K4HnHbieehV0fhOJKSB8MbN-IETc6D-pI0S_FVBkikHHMU3_gz4RCkoj6B86ce7lJM4cjJqDGvAK2xmAcujPSec3mNAXoXkrKTF-TLVpKgP0OHvejD6FoGPtTisZc0dt9h_QKDeCvRyPsmN1jt-841OdU2v_OIOMV4j6/w400-h289/Screen%20Shot%202022-03-30%20at%2012.55.18%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Ben Stiller's sleek sci-fi dystopian workplace drama <i>Severance</i> posits the question, do you ever feel like you're a different person at work? How far would you go to keep your work life seperate from your home life?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Across 10 slick conspiracy-laden episodes, the mysteries sitting at the centre of <i>Severance</i> slowly start to untangle themselves. The fun and the tension comes from seeing these strange jigsaw pieces click into place, and we learn more about the cast of curious desk jockeys, from Adam Scott's moustachioed Mark to Britt Lower's new starter Helly. </div><div><br /></div>The stark and otherworldly production design – which mixes eerie open-plan corporate design with clunky CRT monitors and some retro-futurist technology – looks like it costs a packet to produce, and really sets this show apart from your run-of-the-mill mystery box thriller. The plot is a bit of a slow burn, but the final episode culminates in a thrilling cliffhanger. <div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">5) The Bear season one (Disney+)</span></span></h3><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhuXzwFfeyITMy2uE4cQ05NStrglHeGSOnIqoPLn_SAeyQe7eWabJ50gufsl0ybonZfw8caVnnJ1M4rovCA8NY35Gt47pj6AHda8P4Dg53ZKadL23DsbNmj4rT3SGw3FbCaf2CtopPo0qdjixeNfUFvgfsTrdIjHQnFltbX6joC4W1pMG_-W1MxFy/s2052/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-25%20at%208.46.28%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="2052" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhuXzwFfeyITMy2uE4cQ05NStrglHeGSOnIqoPLn_SAeyQe7eWabJ50gufsl0ybonZfw8caVnnJ1M4rovCA8NY35Gt47pj6AHda8P4Dg53ZKadL23DsbNmj4rT3SGw3FbCaf2CtopPo0qdjixeNfUFvgfsTrdIjHQnFltbX6joC4W1pMG_-W1MxFy/w400-h275/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-25%20at%208.46.28%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen – because hoo boy, there's a lot of heat coming off this one. Season one of <i>The Bear</i> is akin to a frantic and frenzied kitchen fire that has been brewing for a while, only to burst into life and lash out at you. <br /><div><br /></div><div>After meeting our protagonist (Carmy, who gives up his life working a posh New York restaurant and returns to Chicago to take over a popular but dilapidated sandwich shop after its owner – his brother – commits suicide), we're introduced to a familiar conceit. The shop, dubbed The Beef, is in disrepair.<br /><br /><div>Debts are racking up, there's chaos and unprofessionalism rife in the kitchen, Carmy seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown at any moment. All good stuff that makes for excellent, high-stakes character drama – is Marcus going to find the perfect recipe for his new line of doughnuts? How can we make our next rent payment without Richie selling crack in the alleyway out back? Who keeps sabotaging the staff and causing us to trip up when the clock is ticking?</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Bear</i> isn't exactly reinventing the wheel; we've seen stories about talented but flawed people and their art a thousand times before. What makes it marinate on the mind and linger on the lips, is the way it takes familiar ingredients and remixes them in a fresh and delectable fashion.</div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">4) Andor season one (Disney+)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div>This is more like it. I've been bitterly disappointed with the trajectory of <i>Star Wars</i>' TV stuff ever since that dreadful CG Luke Skywalker popped up in the season two finale of <i>The Mandalorian</i>. But Tony Gilroy's terrific 'between the trilogies' show Andor shows there's still life in the old dog yet, by dispensing with the Sith/Jedi binary, and the cumbersome retcon-heavy narrative (looking at you, <i>Obi-Wan Kenobi</i>), and instead offers something low-key, grounded, gritty and character-driven. </div><div><br /></div><div>Diego Luna makes a terrific central figure for this 'boots on the ground' story of a fledging Rebellion amidst an oppressive Imperial regime. What's more, this might be the first Star Wars project in a long while to focus on exactly that: the politics and ideologies of <i>Star Wars</i>. Who are these people, who choose to rise up and fight for something greater and grander than themselves? <i>Andor</i> may be named after one man, but it's the story of so much more. And it's proof that <i>Star Wars</i> can still be relevant without reverting to a retread of old characters and old stories. Fingers crossed that quality continues into Gilroy's second season.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_j5o0vOYzbc0zIPgugLHfXJVC-OmZisS_YcrVOePI2Fjqy07UTHuXUT_g-GRLrCDtqhax5jXyYuQkrVyCfz7ud66Y01F-1ozdpGmlF4e4oMFZVPHD4MODwebCrNZi10HGHA0zPvjyUjg3xQ9Po1HWB2BupZeIexzHkyq1E_z_2pM7Bj1C2LNfnEB/s1902/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.15.30%20am.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1902" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_j5o0vOYzbc0zIPgugLHfXJVC-OmZisS_YcrVOePI2Fjqy07UTHuXUT_g-GRLrCDtqhax5jXyYuQkrVyCfz7ud66Y01F-1ozdpGmlF4e4oMFZVPHD4MODwebCrNZi10HGHA0zPvjyUjg3xQ9Po1HWB2BupZeIexzHkyq1E_z_2pM7Bj1C2LNfnEB/w640-h326/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.15.30%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">3) House of the Dragon season one (HBO)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC3Npz7ExawEc_5I4L-U2a5egAm20qIAYGGdfl6KRHA_60_vLXvBDvXKTXzc6Exd1saTYewNlQGlcA5c5QSWKaQ4LaZWWoP_9kKPr0anGK7Qqn7EnnUCbLPMUgquoG_5xk2Z6qErHmpHdsYJSDWnJIlaXqBxrowaI7IHQk1TBj_eBsIIh0aMKiKFI/s1940/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="1940" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC3Npz7ExawEc_5I4L-U2a5egAm20qIAYGGdfl6KRHA_60_vLXvBDvXKTXzc6Exd1saTYewNlQGlcA5c5QSWKaQ4LaZWWoP_9kKPr0anGK7Qqn7EnnUCbLPMUgquoG_5xk2Z6qErHmpHdsYJSDWnJIlaXqBxrowaI7IHQk1TBj_eBsIIh0aMKiKFI/w400-h294/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>House of the Dragon</i> faced the unenviable task of being not just a satisfactory follow-up to the good stuff from <i>Game of Thrones</i>; it needed to make up for all the bad stuff from that controversial and calamitous final season too. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So what better way to woo fans back, than putting out the <i>Thrones</i> equivalent of a 'greatest hits' album? </div><div><br /></div><div>With all the things we loved about <i>Thrones</i> – the politicking and manoeuvring, the quarrelling at court, the sprawling medieval battles, the incest – and with the added bonus of more dragons than you can shake a morningstar at, <i>House of the Dragon</i> had me rapt from start to finish. </div><div><br /></div><div>With such a vast cast and a narrative spanning decades, where do you even start when picking a favourite moment or a series MVP? Right out of the gate, a star was born in Milly Alcock, who played young Rhaenyra, so much so that it took some getting used to her older counterpart Emma D'Arcy after the midseason time jump.</div><div><br /></div><div>But the crown of House of the Dragon MVP finds itself shared by quarrelling brothers Paddy Considine and Matt Smith, as King Viserys and Prince Daemon respectively. The former was the literal and emotional glue that held the kingdom together, whilst Smith cheerfully chews the scenery and steals the show.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuydoo8E4UerUtMwe179LL5SkRdN8ma1fdNn9_zvQv2u2oPYwMfAyy8acL71Qczw-4rK2-aXcpB4Vq354YN3z7I7aEJve4BWvrNv1Sf_hmIWXDPQKpAdjeK7rOwQtyuOvt-2Jwh3dokINOIpnUk8WtNERjeXORZKnd84UyK7hdCrGPV81fkABuwyW/s2148/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.22.46%20am.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="2148" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuydoo8E4UerUtMwe179LL5SkRdN8ma1fdNn9_zvQv2u2oPYwMfAyy8acL71Qczw-4rK2-aXcpB4Vq354YN3z7I7aEJve4BWvrNv1Sf_hmIWXDPQKpAdjeK7rOwQtyuOvt-2Jwh3dokINOIpnUk8WtNERjeXORZKnd84UyK7hdCrGPV81fkABuwyW/w640-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.22.46%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">2) The White Lotus season two (HBO)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsZV4wxZJUbn4p6jXCOSX_PFJZCuymkIztjVGl8zBGS5JzVzt99DcnEjIVJN2XdSFmvHcUVoXB-pFblZYetXNqkuxzEzoh4Oo7AYZZCBgFkKp44V_0LafUckZWSFAsTDCdKNde0mrkWLNEHD9oKwIIkZYz_4z2NJfW9tnJQ1QjBCXkZMaYlTd4ppR/s1916/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.14.05%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="1916" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsZV4wxZJUbn4p6jXCOSX_PFJZCuymkIztjVGl8zBGS5JzVzt99DcnEjIVJN2XdSFmvHcUVoXB-pFblZYetXNqkuxzEzoh4Oo7AYZZCBgFkKp44V_0LafUckZWSFAsTDCdKNde0mrkWLNEHD9oKwIIkZYz_4z2NJfW9tnJQ1QjBCXkZMaYlTd4ppR/w400-h271/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.14.05%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Swapping tropical Hawaii for a very saucy Sicily, <i>The White Lotus</i>' second season sees Mike White continue to explore themes like gender, sexuality, class and intergenerational trauma through the lens of rich white people upending their fucked up lives whilst on holiday.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Every bit as arresting as the first season, <i>The White Lotus</i> once again boasts an embarrassment of riches in its ensemble cast; Aubrey Plaza, F Murray Abraham, Michael Imperioli, Theo James, Tom Hollander, Haley Lu Richardson and of course a returning Jennifer Coolidge. </div><div><br /></div><div>There's still one episode to go, but I can confidently say that it's earned its place on this list. Each week, White peels back the next layer on this delicate onion, to reveal something about his frustratingly oblivious (or in some cases, frustratingly self-aware but still flawed) characters, and ourselves at the same time. Who lives, who dies? I guess we'll all find out on Monday, but at the end of the day, the best part about this show is that journey is more interesting than the destination. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmFFeTps-PG14kHCYu4JJGJMnmF4CWxkRL1i-XzsgrXhnd90YHacjDDIPReqvPuluDXKYlMTNJD7NvKBgtK0lX1Yz3X3X6Y6OYEs43WrnIO_jTuAlcXoHqskZ1b7EYK3duR3dKzeiqBq5F0V2mIffwPvWwruaPcuKTioLbiXFqlmbjU1Z1tnEn2as/s2138/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.29.52%20am.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="2138" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmFFeTps-PG14kHCYu4JJGJMnmF4CWxkRL1i-XzsgrXhnd90YHacjDDIPReqvPuluDXKYlMTNJD7NvKBgtK0lX1Yz3X3X6Y6OYEs43WrnIO_jTuAlcXoHqskZ1b7EYK3duR3dKzeiqBq5F0V2mIffwPvWwruaPcuKTioLbiXFqlmbjU1Z1tnEn2as/w640-h262/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.29.52%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">1) Industry season two (HBO)</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCookGW6RUN5JG7T40YURDrdH0a50JaSD2tgA9_ayZ8sS5Jq8bO1SKzi1edLxrsqj9Rp0f8kltbdznMG7Txm8Myam2Vg0cx6SHqSBdMRfy2jOqgaVXW8QNykc1ZR0zxC21ujLzXMdc2Y2qCyZ5Tq4rUAz1xXQGnQqW1YLvsvL7Wb9RJ9rTsDcT0MBY/s2148/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-25%20at%208.38.33%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="2148" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCookGW6RUN5JG7T40YURDrdH0a50JaSD2tgA9_ayZ8sS5Jq8bO1SKzi1edLxrsqj9Rp0f8kltbdznMG7Txm8Myam2Vg0cx6SHqSBdMRfy2jOqgaVXW8QNykc1ZR0zxC21ujLzXMdc2Y2qCyZ5Tq4rUAz1xXQGnQqW1YLvsvL7Wb9RJ9rTsDcT0MBY/w400-h263/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-25%20at%208.38.33%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Truly the most toxic and torturous workplace drama on TV, <i>Industry</i> goes from strength to strength in its sophomore season.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rarely does a show make such a dramatic leap in quality than <i>Industry</i> did between seasons one and two. Buoyed by new blood (Jay Duplass' millionaire hedge fund manager Jesse Bloom), a firmer focus and a propulsive plot that pushes its core cast into darker and more dangerous challenges, <i>Industry</i> delivered shock after shock across eight tight, compelling episodes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Will Harper's latest swing on shorts come good in the end? How can the brokers on the FX desk outwit and outmanoeuvre the CPS desk? And most crucially, what does all this mean? If, like me, you don't know your bull market from your bear market, <i>Industry</i> cleverly offsets its finance bro lingo-heavy dialogue with big bombshell moments, broad character motivations and thrilling sequences with wall-to-wall tension that don't require a degree in economics to not just understand, but lose yourself in. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Industry</i> has graduated from the <i>Succession</i> school of making complicated corporate junk accessible; embrace the jargon, don't get bogged down in the nitty-gritty, and instead focus on putting a core cast of compelling and deeply flawed characters in new debauched scenarios, week in week out. Everyone is looking out for number one, there's always a scheme or a plot afoot, and crucially, the stakes are very, very real and very, very personal. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it's also a second-cousin to another HBO show, <i>Euphoria</i>. Fuelled by raging hormones, illicit drugs and corporate greed, <i>Industry</i> is a uniquely Gen-Z lens through which to view the modern workplace.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBueM7xcn4ALj4nwBC25Qro_1LK4iGga3VyETNUl_QBsg3rjHbxJ7C7_lKlIRt9ImewVxTkddsDGaofpC2Xo5C-uWtMqtBXkp5aW6wuVX4H3v9VIwMd878uYKGyP4m4ILE8ZHexnC2XwGwSm3DKdSD9l66dKo75GYBTxxyGEixFE82v0QkpwO4Dgtw/s2524/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.18.35%20am.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="2524" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBueM7xcn4ALj4nwBC25Qro_1LK4iGga3VyETNUl_QBsg3rjHbxJ7C7_lKlIRt9ImewVxTkddsDGaofpC2Xo5C-uWtMqtBXkp5aW6wuVX4H3v9VIwMd878uYKGyP4m4ILE8ZHexnC2XwGwSm3DKdSD9l66dKo75GYBTxxyGEixFE82v0QkpwO4Dgtw/w640-h288/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-05%20at%2010.18.35%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-73190071167895053252022-11-25T12:57:00.005+08:002022-11-25T12:57:43.883+08:00What I'm Watching: November 2022<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uV-jHRpkI__RDoPSYbOCffxVsq2U3xeoxp39SOHI0JQujNgeIvn1Mg78hrYE8rjlfgnzOQ_5oG1Hj5MyLEirZCg7OU9LUtfQFuPIr6kh3JeAZ648Tn3mCadJl1VtHrd89uRFVhlUQKxURlkmuCaDGRY7BsussaBrp4VeQNvB_ar2t5ib8WZ4CbFS/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(42).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uV-jHRpkI__RDoPSYbOCffxVsq2U3xeoxp39SOHI0JQujNgeIvn1Mg78hrYE8rjlfgnzOQ_5oG1Hj5MyLEirZCg7OU9LUtfQFuPIr6kh3JeAZ648Tn3mCadJl1VtHrd89uRFVhlUQKxURlkmuCaDGRY7BsussaBrp4VeQNvB_ar2t5ib8WZ4CbFS/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(42).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>A quick recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, including three recent Netflix titles, <i>Inside Man</i>, <i>The Good Nurse</i> and <i>The Wonder</i>, Maria Schrader's #MeToo expose film <i>She Said</i>, Chloe Okuno's Euro thriller <i>Watcher</i>, and HBO's second season of <i>The White Lotus</i>. </b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">She Said (In theatres)</span></h3><div><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlZ2C9ojvdZpXXQ86XNvw58a_j15z05hA_2aiCDXTCvfq7OrTBS-lS47jMuCpFyHsjICHFfm2hAaPUpXtiKI9SORaLpwiHeIjpJtc3vBJDrHXOF_IJGwiI5zKXCwcMMNQCbcmG6kWl0Ipv4FQA1IZaqlhJJu-mLfpZjE49k696X5P0e-074kVPy5z/s839/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-25%20at%203.56.17%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="839" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlZ2C9ojvdZpXXQ86XNvw58a_j15z05hA_2aiCDXTCvfq7OrTBS-lS47jMuCpFyHsjICHFfm2hAaPUpXtiKI9SORaLpwiHeIjpJtc3vBJDrHXOF_IJGwiI5zKXCwcMMNQCbcmG6kWl0Ipv4FQA1IZaqlhJJu-mLfpZjE49k696X5P0e-074kVPy5z/w400-h297/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-25%20at%203.56.17%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>A biographical drama that recounts the New York Times' investigation into Miramax cofounder Harvey Weinstein, <i>She Says</i> is Hollywood seeking to dip into its own recent past and thrust the women in the eye of the #MeToo storm to the forefront of the narrative. The story is centred around Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, who play investigative journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor respectively. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kudos to director Maria Schrader, for crafting such a compelling and captivating story out of what is ostensibly a series of people making or taking phone calls, writing emails and knocking on doors. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">It's not easy to make the procedural, day-to-day feel cinematic, and that shows in <i>She Says</i>' camerawork – it's very locked down and basic, as we follow Kazan and Mulligan as they do day-to-day things, like walking through the newsroom, sitting in the corporate canteen or cooking dinner in their pokey apartment kitchens. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div>Instead of technical, <i>She Says</i> shines on an emotional level – it's hard not to get caught up in the stress, the tension and the frustration of their investigation, as they try to peel away the delicate layers of lies, that have built up over decades of misdeeds. Met with cul-de-sac after dead-end, there's some gratification in watching the pieces of the puzzle slot together – even if we know how this story ends. </div><div><br /></div><div>Kazan and Mulligan make for two excellent leads; they're never showy, just driven and determined, before some glimpses of relief slip through at the end. Jennifer Ehle is particularly memorable too, as Laura Madden – one of Weinstein's long-suffering victims. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having worked in a newsroom for a couple of years – albeit one that is nowhere near as slick or as busy as the New York Times! – it was fun to see story take shape, as it is in lots of journalism films. Highly recommended, and sure to be in the conversation come Oscar time. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">Inside Man (Netflix)</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCQKLv2abnAvA1HTwJ5tdvoF5kp9fs6tuPKDkj1Ys0HBzHvqp43dk4pL9uLCof_dH2bfOgr6dTa91ICC4JxpMUzxqIJOLNOIv_bdVy1bgEBViZho8yWC1xqC6FII7hWN1dkyyLj7rmYbUnOqKQwJsvC5ARATv5xjNGUI9mjsK-Je8LXkYU4JKDuhr/s1724/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-06%20at%209.06.28%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1724" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCQKLv2abnAvA1HTwJ5tdvoF5kp9fs6tuPKDkj1Ys0HBzHvqp43dk4pL9uLCof_dH2bfOgr6dTa91ICC4JxpMUzxqIJOLNOIv_bdVy1bgEBViZho8yWC1xqC6FII7hWN1dkyyLj7rmYbUnOqKQwJsvC5ARATv5xjNGUI9mjsK-Je8LXkYU4JKDuhr/w400-h291/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-06%20at%209.06.28%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Boy oh boy, this has to be one of the most frustrating shows I've seen in a long time. <div><br /></div><div>The initial concept itself is fine, it's the journey thereafter that really gets on your tits. Essentially, everything that happens in this four-episode miniseries stems from a really confounding and avoidable misunderstanding, between an English vicar (David Tennant), his son's maths tutor (Dolly Wells), a muckraking crime journalist (Lydia West) and a death row prisoner in Arizona (Stanley Tucci). <br /><p></p><p>There's promise in the premise, but every character at every turn makes boneheaded choices that serve only to heighten the drama, even if it flies in the face of conventional logic. As much as I love him and he brings a committed performance, the main culprit here is Tennant. He plays a vicar who, in service of someone who truly doesn't deserve it, blows up his whole life. </p><p>Then, on other side of the dual narrative is Tucci's smug death row prisoner. This character has potential too – despite being on death row, he 'works cases' that are strange or unusual – but showrunner Steven Moffat keeps his cards close to his chest, and we're given a fairly shallow level of insight into who this person is. <br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The White Lotus season two (Binge)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxNRUtP57ngbLPkMd_LStT8A-FangeWnWZNeBvCs4_XzilUSfOmLxYpYu_dXuryHPZjXVW1n65er78yhVyLJAFIoNqsqIhCaNbwUbZkz5QWucq1BbaSnGXWWwC2M_RWlSJShy_TTj2Vo4BoiATd1nIx9ajogAp7NN_7G9J2ZS127tmPTjDglofffu/s1916/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.14.05%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="1916" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxNRUtP57ngbLPkMd_LStT8A-FangeWnWZNeBvCs4_XzilUSfOmLxYpYu_dXuryHPZjXVW1n65er78yhVyLJAFIoNqsqIhCaNbwUbZkz5QWucq1BbaSnGXWWwC2M_RWlSJShy_TTj2Vo4BoiATd1nIx9ajogAp7NN_7G9J2ZS127tmPTjDglofffu/w400-h271/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.14.05%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>The White Lotus</i> was my favourite show of 2021, and based on the first four episodes of this second season, it hasn't lost any of its lustre in the last 12 months. <br /><p></p><p>Season two sees the show jetting off to Sicily, where we meet a whole new ensemble of insufferable rich white people as they check into the exclusive White Lotus resort. </p><p>There's too many characters to detail all their idiosyncrasies here, but suffice to say, there's a lot to chew on – from the supposedly picture-perfect couple who harbour some messed up marital issues behind-the-scenes, to three generations of messed-up men on a journey of familial rediscovery by way of toxic intergenerational trauma. </p><p>My White Lotus season two MVP so far is Aubery Plaza, closely followed by Haley Lu Richardson. Plaza's character is very much in her wheelhouse, but there's depth and nuance that she isn't afforded too often in other projects. Jennifer Coolidge's Tanya is the only returning character from season one, as vapid billionaire who sort of floats through life and mistreats those around her, including Richardson's harried personal assistant. </p><p>What else is there to say other than if you're out of the <i>White Lotus</i> loop, it's time to make a reservation on your sofa and see what all the fuss is about.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Watcher (Prime Video)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsrjXMLSrroZKFDcvBvddcR532_daIHU2jOlVVJ5ChKZXmtSnGfPpP_moVcYU927GXMGtTsh5CVA6YGSZPt08ec_QC0lfuNOkV5_B8lXqCnGU2PBupyy4mN8xv9DHM-moGJ1NFUU2CGdOR6rif1kIR5P5MB7BSniJ56ZxhYgyJer69Rb3vDxh-xte/s1786/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.00.36%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1786" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsrjXMLSrroZKFDcvBvddcR532_daIHU2jOlVVJ5ChKZXmtSnGfPpP_moVcYU927GXMGtTsh5CVA6YGSZPt08ec_QC0lfuNOkV5_B8lXqCnGU2PBupyy4mN8xv9DHM-moGJ1NFUU2CGdOR6rif1kIR5P5MB7BSniJ56ZxhYgyJer69Rb3vDxh-xte/w400-h293/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.00.36%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Scream queen Maika Monroe is back in familiar territory in <i>Watcher</i>, a modern take on the classic Hitchcockian thriller. Monroe plays Julia, an American woman who moves to Romania with her husband Francis, after he takes a marketing job at his firm's Bucharest office. <br /><p></p><p>Isolated and alone, Julia spends her days cooped up in their dingy apartment – and soon realises a shadowy figure across the road is creepily watching her from their darkened window. Meanwhile, a vicious serial killer stalks the streets and dominates the news headlines, leading to Julia feeling like the person watching her has sinister intentions. </p><p>An uncomplicated, no-frills thriller, <i>Watcher</i> is more about frayed nerves and frightened glances over your shoulder, than schlocky kills. Like most of the people around her, we spend most of the runtime questioning Julia's frame of mind – is this all in her head, or is there really someone following her? </p><p>That the answer is actually quite straightforward is perhaps the scariest thing about it. Monroe is great, as always, and Burn Gorman (Torchwood, Pacific Rim) is seriously creepy as Julia's supposed stalker. This one has been unceremoniously dumped on VOD here in Australia, but it's well worth a look if horror and thriller is your kind of thing. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Wonder (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg3jQqB1l4e0RR3YwlIx-uQ_X-lCbTq9Z06HFeyomMGewUwCTOBoS-SCJEwgknde_KOO378LHKxxQqt2AR6wVLdJxnH1monMCHijspy1kINg7Qui1Mgb1DosfJO1rVHflKyUzq_8GhKDLhx0pXSVtmUCFyoB7b5QD2JBOn8yQUCnYZUa_JxNTNbVq/s1498/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-20%20at%208.59.29%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1498" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg3jQqB1l4e0RR3YwlIx-uQ_X-lCbTq9Z06HFeyomMGewUwCTOBoS-SCJEwgknde_KOO378LHKxxQqt2AR6wVLdJxnH1monMCHijspy1kINg7Qui1Mgb1DosfJO1rVHflKyUzq_8GhKDLhx0pXSVtmUCFyoB7b5QD2JBOn8yQUCnYZUa_JxNTNbVq/w400-h293/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-20%20at%208.59.29%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Come for Florence Pugh, stay for Florence Pugh. Sebastian Lelio's period drama is a fascinating film, in that you're plunged into a mysterious scenario – Pugh plays an English nurse dispatched to rural Ireland to care for Anna, young woman who claims to have not eaten in months – and asked to make sense of it all. Is this a religious revelation or an attempt at devious deception? The Irish villagers are convinced it's the former, but Pugh's pragmatic nurse soon finds herself preoccupied with proving that Anna is not being entirely truthful. <br /><p></p><p>Aside from a perplexing first and final shot, <i>The Wonder </i>is a fairly straightforward narrative – a person arrives from out of town only to be confronted with distrust and scepticism – so it's the technical elements, such as cinematography and production design, as well as Pugh's lead performance, that hold your attention. There's some interesting themes at play here, largely concerned with the interplay between belief and reason, faith and science. </p><p>It's not overlong, clocking in at 109 minutes, but it is achingly slow at times. I think if this film didn't have Pugh as both a drawcard and ultimate MVP, it wouldn't be worth your time. But as it turns out, it's another notch on an already impressive belt. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Good Nurse (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnMtfK5c72RcClccxhwe6EFCKYOWzjZVQcV9p-F4YGWB2YoKZsbWrTLQVDAz46ODPwslk8aAq1EqSiaBdLt5vD0CFexzPcEDXOPxN5aAmZ1jRDGg_iRbkJF6_2JIdYkYHO1tQ6mBtMMoOk39e_WRIEl2Eq3UzBC3E5ya4jQgfeE6GxmvQKWGyqkqc/s1852/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.03.38%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1852" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnMtfK5c72RcClccxhwe6EFCKYOWzjZVQcV9p-F4YGWB2YoKZsbWrTLQVDAz46ODPwslk8aAq1EqSiaBdLt5vD0CFexzPcEDXOPxN5aAmZ1jRDGg_iRbkJF6_2JIdYkYHO1tQ6mBtMMoOk39e_WRIEl2Eq3UzBC3E5ya4jQgfeE6GxmvQKWGyqkqc/w400-h278/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-21%20at%206.03.38%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>What are two Academy Award-winning actors doing slumming it in this Netflix movie, you may ask. Jessica Chastain, only a few months on from her Best Actress accolade, surely deserves something with a bigger profile, right? <p></p><p>Well, 10 years ago, this film would've been thrust into cinemas and made something of a splash. Nowadays, it's just another Netflix film that kind of came and went over a weekend. </p><p>Which is a shame, because it's pretty good! Chastain plays the titular nurse who starts to suspect her new colleague, played by Redmayne, is the cause behind a series of mysterious deaths on the ICU ward where they work. </p><p>Based on a true story, The Good Nurse is a slick piece of counter-programming to recent projects that have glorified or fetishised serial killers. Here, Redmayne is viewed as an unglamorous and inscrutable monster – one who doesn't come furnished with a tragic or teary backstory.</p><p>It's perhaps a little long, and the third act doesn't build to a crescendo; it's more of a downbeat fizzle. But on the whole, this is worth a look – a solid three-star dramatic thriller. </p></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-40108481667704365672022-11-18T18:32:00.001+08:002022-11-18T18:36:55.364+08:00Film Review: Black Panther – Wakanda Forever<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4gQdq5anuyzKlQYK0MXaCXJ2m4TQXorDF5cIx0RECwaaYCEbTwu_Zn8t2e5YB83MXrp_m2gKtlR10g0LXBE7YKkskyZgYYEFtBfdhll1IvACiSlnQs04aM9GEfIz4QTcMAa5Bw3R3Y5Ox_fYbHr21zbRuNOR-zykHtNvAeTEvPZ8qEpBAkU_vh21/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(43).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4gQdq5anuyzKlQYK0MXaCXJ2m4TQXorDF5cIx0RECwaaYCEbTwu_Zn8t2e5YB83MXrp_m2gKtlR10g0LXBE7YKkskyZgYYEFtBfdhll1IvACiSlnQs04aM9GEfIz4QTcMAa5Bw3R3Y5Ox_fYbHr21zbRuNOR-zykHtNvAeTEvPZ8qEpBAkU_vh21/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(43).png" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>The 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> sees writer/director Ryan Coogler deftly traverse the narrative, emotional and spiritual tightrope left behind by Chadwick Boseman's tragic passing. </b></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMmiz4ymLhtLUZbYLQ5gbStD0KGUb4d96-Fe7E0xX4HT_1jxW-lmtOrtAyRnZamsVJSELJbrIGM9JW4xAhRXAE9dJvwrRUE-jKve3zemZxsYElkpQQI5Jrl8CsuvkvzK2fgNmUBIUj-Uh0i1zTAXLDXsUGIdYiliyX2kwQn-xlBANp5CconkrzvkJ/s1894/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.07.15%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1894" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMmiz4ymLhtLUZbYLQ5gbStD0KGUb4d96-Fe7E0xX4HT_1jxW-lmtOrtAyRnZamsVJSELJbrIGM9JW4xAhRXAE9dJvwrRUE-jKve3zemZxsYElkpQQI5Jrl8CsuvkvzK2fgNmUBIUj-Uh0i1zTAXLDXsUGIdYiliyX2kwQn-xlBANp5CconkrzvkJ/w400-h270/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.07.15%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>In 2018, following a staggering box office tally and a swathe of Oscar nominations, a sequel to Black Panther seemed not just inevitable prospect, but a mouthwatering one that would once again serve as a confluence of critical praise and commercial success. <br /><p></p><p>But by mid-2020, all that was thrown into doubt when the franchise's charismatic leading man, Chadwick Boseman, passed away aged just 43. All of a sudden, the continuing adventures of King T'Challa and his Wakandan subjects seemed trivial by comparison. </p><p>But for the creative team behind <i>Black Panther</i>, they felt that continuing in such a way that concluded T'Challa's story is not just what he would've wanted, but could serve as fitting tribute to his memory and legacy, as both a beloved actor and popular character.</p><p>Consequently, <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> is a strange beast; both a touching and emotional goodbye to Boseman, as well as your conventional, rock 'em sock 'em Marvel film that intertwines with the wider universe. These two don't always mesh, but come the end of this two-and-a-half-hour juggernaut, Coogler is able to dial out the white noise and deliver a fitting farewell and a satisfying entry in the saga. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YWxw-XZwz62Sql8oTV1DsfoMarZ9_YlRzDTM8sxuiiqdlJRtg6vLV0admqzqwNzieaAvQMuEPjxvNWDZQ9FzW9YQGeeYxoXn7gWcr5Z-0arqwcKj7u8t4nUm2MjfMBxYnxMe8a7aD9kptFpzOIdL3lNhx28WXu0s18w_0zP-KBI5gtC8XUkZSOeK/s2864/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.08.01%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="2864" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YWxw-XZwz62Sql8oTV1DsfoMarZ9_YlRzDTM8sxuiiqdlJRtg6vLV0admqzqwNzieaAvQMuEPjxvNWDZQ9FzW9YQGeeYxoXn7gWcr5Z-0arqwcKj7u8t4nUm2MjfMBxYnxMe8a7aD9kptFpzOIdL3lNhx28WXu0s18w_0zP-KBI5gtC8XUkZSOeK/w640-h246/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.08.01%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>We start, unsurprisingly, with the death of T'Challa. The Wakandan royal family and their inner circle – Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letita Wright as Princess Shuri, Winston Duke as Jabari cheiftan M'Baku, Danai Gurira as fearsome warrior Okoye, Lupita N'yongo as sharp sleuth Nakia – are reeling with this reality, as well as the prospect of major world powers vying for control of the African nation's elusive and precious vibranium. </p><p>So when Riri Williams (Dominique Throne), teenage tech prodigy, develops a machine that can detect vibranium through the depths of the ocean, it's up to Shuri and Okoye to track her down and ship her off to Wakanda for safekeeping, before she's stolen away by the US Government – or worse, a tribe of ocean-dwelling people lead by the godlike Namor (Tenoch Huerta), a merman with wings on his heels and a spear in his grasp.</p><p>The first thing you need to know about <i>Wakanda Forever</i> is that there's a lot of plot; on top of everything I've gone through already, there's character arcs for Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, M'Baku and Namor. Some, like Shuri and Namor, are coherent and satisfying; others, like Okoye and Nakia, suffer from significant cuts. A new character, played by <i>I May Destroy You</i>'s Michaela Coel, feels like she was a key figure at some point in the filmmaking process, only for most of her scenes to end up on the editing room floor. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLjqA57a0HYJNAN_g4aRtPh_xQ46EKEoOuh4DeHxQnv8SrxLtZCggE7Sr0SwXkYyAJhT_GydgCtfkPflQlp-xA0WiWLgkwO4OvzZtyLjms6k8_rNG-AQ5y7_l7y9vqHhSGQkJ9CBV-PNkMcpS8UWYDcaTQogkh0ivbDuoMOMm6yjW2cLyiqJXkX4k/s2866/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.07.49%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="2866" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLjqA57a0HYJNAN_g4aRtPh_xQ46EKEoOuh4DeHxQnv8SrxLtZCggE7Sr0SwXkYyAJhT_GydgCtfkPflQlp-xA0WiWLgkwO4OvzZtyLjms6k8_rNG-AQ5y7_l7y9vqHhSGQkJ9CBV-PNkMcpS8UWYDcaTQogkh0ivbDuoMOMm6yjW2cLyiqJXkX4k/w640-h222/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.07.49%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />There's also some stuff that tees up Phase Five projects, like the inclusion of Riri and Julia-Louis Dreyfus' CIA director Valentina. A lot of ingredients in the mixer, and not all of it complements the other flavours. Clocking in at two hours and 40 minutes, <i>Wakanda Forever</i> would've benefited from fewer characters, fewer subplots and a sharper runtime. <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzmvb-lM_Kw3t1Tj9-z4q2Y78Q5vPRlOSJ5kbzRdYVbY5n0Yv3MfvZEEhJSF3OfJD0V2yI9eJm19je5gixggVtx1YpmDmCzpz0dAdxMVw7pJJ0hYHtrWsdK-dtLNsTiZREDj6t9b8L3eF9LGr3SOQZ9X5k8O9rm0D1w9L468gwR0pkTyiF-kHMtgE/s1302/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.26.45%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1036" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzmvb-lM_Kw3t1Tj9-z4q2Y78Q5vPRlOSJ5kbzRdYVbY5n0Yv3MfvZEEhJSF3OfJD0V2yI9eJm19je5gixggVtx1YpmDmCzpz0dAdxMVw7pJJ0hYHtrWsdK-dtLNsTiZREDj6t9b8L3eF9LGr3SOQZ9X5k8O9rm0D1w9L468gwR0pkTyiF-kHMtgE/w319-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-18%20at%209.26.45%20pm.png" width="319" /></a></div>And yet, I couldn't help but find myself swept up and engrossed by it all, warts and all. Shuri makes for a compelling lead, and I can see Wright growing more comfortable with the role in future instalments; Bassett's screentime is vastly expanded and the film is better for it; and the simple fact that <i>Wakanda Forever</i> is all about its fierce female characters is refreshing given Marvel's boys club track record. <p></p><p></p><p>Tenoch Huerta's performance as the nefarious Namor is great too, with a level of depth and nuance that Marvel villains are often lacking. Once again, Coogler has crafted an antagonist that kind of has a point? Or at least is more interesting that someone who just wants to watch the world burn. </p><p>The action is much improved from <i>Black Panther</i>, with an early fight and car chase set piece in Boston dishing out some seriously punch – even if the third act smackdown reverts to indulging in some all-too familiar Marvel trappings. </p><p>And of course, the behind-the-scenes artistry is exemplary again; Ruth Carter's costuming is gorgeous, colourful and creative, and the production design draws us into the world of the characters, from luscious Wakanda to the watery depths of Telokan. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 8/10</span></span></h3><p>In spite of its flaws, I'm cutting <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> some slack on account of Coogler's big swings and deft handling of tragic circumstances, as well as its impactful core narrative. Without all the usual Marvel fluff and some rough edges, this could've been something really special – but what we got is still compelling, emotional and interestingly imperfect. </p><p><b><i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> is in cinemas across Australia now.</b></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-24763179815543813502022-10-27T07:26:00.000+08:002022-10-27T07:26:04.353+08:00What I'm Watching: October 2022<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXArhL1FwkNFq91KIhE1Ogq907KzEhmlwrDfybLme0GQ9b21-_01CcQM6bhf2B6Wk-y2_Jv8XRLZkM5WxUYfsIpei_JgpqvJXQe7TQxGDQlvk26RgFP5ktA7zrzAwMkJ3bUk3be_qrWx7hoyJBr0JlFIfkS5Y93YQlzI3nmGGb9o9tmwq1ETT-tdG-/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(41).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXArhL1FwkNFq91KIhE1Ogq907KzEhmlwrDfybLme0GQ9b21-_01CcQM6bhf2B6Wk-y2_Jv8XRLZkM5WxUYfsIpei_JgpqvJXQe7TQxGDQlvk26RgFP5ktA7zrzAwMkJ3bUk3be_qrWx7hoyJBr0JlFIfkS5Y93YQlzI3nmGGb9o9tmwq1ETT-tdG-/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(41).png" width="640" /></a><br /><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.3px;"><br /><b>A quick recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, including Marvel's <i>She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</i>, A24's <i>Bodies Bodies Bodies</i>, Netflix's <i>The Midnight Club</i>, <i>Orphan</i> prequel <i>First Kill </i>and season one of NBC's supernatural procedural <i>Manifest.</i></b></span></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14.3px;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Midnight Club (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42CM_ge0xvW9u2ANgDSc_aKn_C-26Fs_daTC_aCKrrJic3NP3c5kVauEn2woQLEwblZvK4EftznSHi_Ut2xSIZIVzc7Rb0R2tnIQ2LJKo4m4TW3NMuGJJPeMuXdvP8eD4K2YlTIEhXeXf4g7bRA-P7bjBVLMMdpYU1pSdnpnVrqDs06Pd-3OMrG3t/s2040/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.13.20%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="2040" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42CM_ge0xvW9u2ANgDSc_aKn_C-26Fs_daTC_aCKrrJic3NP3c5kVauEn2woQLEwblZvK4EftznSHi_Ut2xSIZIVzc7Rb0R2tnIQ2LJKo4m4TW3NMuGJJPeMuXdvP8eD4K2YlTIEhXeXf4g7bRA-P7bjBVLMMdpYU1pSdnpnVrqDs06Pd-3OMrG3t/w400-h270/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.13.20%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Spooky szn is here, which must mean we're due another 10-episode Netflix horror series from writer/director Mike Flanagan. <i>The Midnight Club</i> follows eight terminal teens living at a hospice, who sneak out of their rooms each night to swap scary stories by the fire. <br /><p></p><p>I'm pretty picky when it comes to horror, especially TV horror. If you're going to sit through eight to ten hours of spookiness, you want to know that it's the good shit. Which is why Flanagan's consistently fantastic Netflix output – <i>The Haunting of Hill House</i> and <i>Midnight Mass</i> particularly – means I'll always give his latest a whirl, even if I'm a bit of scaredy cat at heart. </p><p>Alas, I think <i>The Midnight Club</i> is the weakest of his four Netflix shows to date, and by some margin. That's not to say it's bad, just that this one didn't click with me. There's two threads being told in tandem here, with the overarching story of the teens, the hospice and its secrets, leading into the spooky little stories that they share. It's this latter element that I found really hit and miss. Some are spooky stories, while others are other genres with tinges of horror. One episode homages classic 40s noir films; another is an 80s sci-fi time travel tale, which takes its cues from <i>The Terminator</i>. </p><p>The young ensemble is talented and the scares are plentiful, but something about <i>The Midnight Club</i> missed the mark for me.<br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpSwG5gMYoRlBrm60PFReRLzUVEe7JvSVBsvmoj-SYKOJVNX3mGqEaujTs1hUQv11V7LFremGcil-uJQhNiaBH1lRcoyp-eMNAVvnUMzljJ7Qq027vQYIa3Jz4H3OYt6mS1K64g-A-RkkyNrr3zJVQJ331dQ60nlEU62_GQD8B8mU2W8N-VPyOfJJ/s2108/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-26%20at%204.22.56%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="2108" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpSwG5gMYoRlBrm60PFReRLzUVEe7JvSVBsvmoj-SYKOJVNX3mGqEaujTs1hUQv11V7LFremGcil-uJQhNiaBH1lRcoyp-eMNAVvnUMzljJ7Qq027vQYIa3Jz4H3OYt6mS1K64g-A-RkkyNrr3zJVQJ331dQ60nlEU62_GQD8B8mU2W8N-VPyOfJJ/w400-h266/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-26%20at%204.22.56%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>I'll be the first to admit, that when this latest suite of Marvel projects was announced, I rolled my eyes at some of the titles – She-Hulk? Really? But I'm always happy to be proved wrong, and can report that <i>She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</i> is a lot of fun. <br /><p></p><p>The show – which stars Tatiana Maslany as Bruce Banner's cousin Jennifer Walters – is very different in tone and structure to past Marvel projects and also in keeping with the character (something I didn't know beforehand, having not read any of the comics).</p><p>With zippy courtroom plots that get sewn up in a nanosecond, whimsical fourth wall breaks that poke fun at other Marvel characters, and a 'guest of the week' structure that includes everyone from Charlie Cox's Daredevil to Megan Thee Stallion, it makes for a nice change of pace from something like <i>Moon Knight,</i> which felt really drawn out and I really didn't vibe with.</p><p>There's maybe one or two of the nine episodes that didn't land, and yeah, the visual effects are wonky as hell on She-Hulk herself, but on the whole this was actually good! Plus it's nice and short too, with each episode clocking in at under 30 minutes without credits, so we sped through all of them in three nights.<br /></p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Bodies Bodies Bodies (In cinemas)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWaDeEf-IBJeOIU9A0oJX3AQDQXKcVVNo6tEHhyXxVtOfEj25AZChUQpQ7rcr7wvMB_mPab01bNOiBEAV4-vDmxCpPZZRyfe-od3Tj39wdm7opGMCSZbmhp66-lZzljiECyrbJTmfGHmGYhC_WszOt8pn1iyrsIRu1BVjdcn_cR0gkfR5vOkV8WPH/s2134/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-22%20at%201.18.00%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2134" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWaDeEf-IBJeOIU9A0oJX3AQDQXKcVVNo6tEHhyXxVtOfEj25AZChUQpQ7rcr7wvMB_mPab01bNOiBEAV4-vDmxCpPZZRyfe-od3Tj39wdm7opGMCSZbmhp66-lZzljiECyrbJTmfGHmGYhC_WszOt8pn1iyrsIRu1BVjdcn_cR0gkfR5vOkV8WPH/w400-h260/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-22%20at%201.18.00%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>A group of 20-something friends find themselves stuck a remote mansion during a hurricane, so they choose to pass the time with some party games. When someone winds up dead, the group starts to suspect one another, and all of a sudden, the fractious faultlines in their friendships start to come to the fore.<br /><p></p><p>With a cast of up-and-coming young stars – – and a uniquely zoomer lingo and sensibility, <i>Bodies Bodies Bodies </i>certainly won't be for everyone, but does have its finger on the pulse. </p><p>A horror comedy whodunnit, <i>Bodies Bodies Bodies</i> lives and dies on by its young ensemble cast, which includes the likes of Maria Bakalova (<i>Borat 2</i>), Myha'la Herrold (<i>Industry</i>), Rachel Sennott (<i>Shiva Baby</i>), Amanda Stenberg (<i>The Hate U Give</i>), Pete Davidson (<i>Saturday Night Live</i>), with a bit of Lee Pace thrown in there for good luck. I think Herrold and Sennott are standouts, but on the group is really believable as a group of teens who have been friends forever and also can't stand one another. None of them, save for Bakalova's character, are particularly likeable, but there's also no joy to be found in them killing one another either. </p><p>I think where this film will divide people is its tone and its lingo. The writing team (there are five credited writers on this film), have furnished the dialogue with lots of zoomer flourishes, in keeping with the zeitgeist I suppose – your mileage may vary on whether or not you want to listen to a bunch of spoiled, coked-up zoomers bitch about 'triggering' one another for two hours. The soundtrack is so grating too.</p><p>That may all sound overly negative, which I'm not trying to be – I did like <i>Bodies Bodies Bodies</i>, particularly the reveal at the end that shows you what the truth is. But I also have zero desire to watch it again, and would think twice about recommending it to anyone outside of the A24/Film Twitter Venn diagram. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Orphan: First Kill (In cinemas)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP28VTQXGg2xTRYOUAdQm_Hk5L8Ih45pscxcYtjHxxEWLSQUhCBF2PlV1hvTTLoJddWTAp-yR0ZIWop6omBYmwe-e_m1vRFfWrcRdHKy1bB_DD60g6SotYlW4-9sMaDLukHQ1nApqqoIpwhdZGvO3gC_GN98MSGu_Ula14BWRFeGRBXmGAxVJtbmJ/s1922/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.14.45%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1922" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP28VTQXGg2xTRYOUAdQm_Hk5L8Ih45pscxcYtjHxxEWLSQUhCBF2PlV1hvTTLoJddWTAp-yR0ZIWop6omBYmwe-e_m1vRFfWrcRdHKy1bB_DD60g6SotYlW4-9sMaDLukHQ1nApqqoIpwhdZGvO3gC_GN98MSGu_Ula14BWRFeGRBXmGAxVJtbmJ/w400-h270/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.14.45%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>So, I haven't seen the first <i>Orphan</i> film – but like everyone on planet Earth, I know about the twist. A twist so deeply weird that it transcends the film itself. So when my wife asked if we could see the new <i>Orphan</i> prequel (like the horror fiend that she is), I at least felt like I had something to work off, despite not having seen the original. <br /><p></p><p>Directed by William Brent Bell, <i>First Kill</i> is actually a pretty entertaining piece of horror trash. Like the first film, there's a devilish twist that upends the lens through which we view the film, except this time said subversion comes around the film's midpoint, and from that point on, <i>First Kill</i> pivots from passable prequel to 'holy shit, what a riot'. I'm not going to spoil it here, and don't even think about looking it up. Genuinely, it made me sit up straighter and lean in. </p><p>You'll need to suspend your disbelief to buy 25-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman as a 10-year-old Estonian psychopath Esther, but all things considered she gives the role her all. I think the film's MVP is without a doubt Julia Stiles as Esther's American adoptive mum, Tricia. Spoiler alert, the title of the film gives away her and her family's fate, but not before Stiles has a lot of fun chewing the scenery and hamming it up. She knows exactly what kind of film she's in, and is having a lot of fun with it.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Manifest season one (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUMkjKgh4z9ofk7xL_VWJkSuuQBwMA6fipsmwAVpHbU23-YAd7cMpsjBy3ivpfFJIdTVDUIs85irf4jD0l-RJfFIeVZXaBVbsmhTCEwzeg23dXWotTYipbmfT4iLZFC5bp8Mtb5oevi61uxML7tMzUiMcLAzvXn53WTZS8mqUKevoDUOOWB0wRTV4/s1964/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.20.24%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1964" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUMkjKgh4z9ofk7xL_VWJkSuuQBwMA6fipsmwAVpHbU23-YAd7cMpsjBy3ivpfFJIdTVDUIs85irf4jD0l-RJfFIeVZXaBVbsmhTCEwzeg23dXWotTYipbmfT4iLZFC5bp8Mtb5oevi61uxML7tMzUiMcLAzvXn53WTZS8mqUKevoDUOOWB0wRTV4/w400-h264/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2012.20.24%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>A flight from Jamaica to New York mysteriously disappears en route, only to reappear five years later with all its passengers and crew completely none the wiser. To them, it's still the day they left; but for their friends, families and the rest of the world, they've been a good as dead for five years.<br /><p></p><p><i>Manifest's</i> core concept has shades of <i>Lost</i> and <i>The Leftovers</i>, in that it's built around this supernatural mystery, and it explores ideas of grief, family and conspiracy. It's this similarity to those shows that drew me in. What it lacks, however, is much more than its admittedly mouthwatering conceit. It lacks the panache and the weirdness of <i>Lost</i>; it lacks the craft and gravity of <i>The Leftovers; </i>and it lacks the acting talent of both, to sell the emotion and trauma of the story.</p><p>So far I've only seen the first seven episodes of <i>Manifest</i>, and having a hard time convincing myself to stick with it, what with literally everything else out there in the streaming landscape. I'd heard that it was good, so good that Netflix commissioned a fourth series because it ranked in their Top 10 for so many weeks. So maybe I'll dip back in for a few more episodes, to see if it takes off (pun intended) – but from what I've seen so far, I'm already losing interest. </p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-26219257384282287802022-10-15T08:41:00.003+08:002022-10-15T08:41:59.797+08:00Series Review: Lord of the Rings – The Rings of Power<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC56i6_bRvU6UWY1jMbBHlO0c-QXGiIg7YicH13jGAtpZitpQe40usiZbTptXwNgMTj-fhjgt1ommg3-NGAh7aegv-GR__hfuCtwFvh2RJjUS-bxS1XjraGk_y1xNf0OyAIcTZ1jShjFXqwdhENufAA_AyzC9uyDd0TAgckyCixZoT_JwTuTMhBdM0/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(42).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC56i6_bRvU6UWY1jMbBHlO0c-QXGiIg7YicH13jGAtpZitpQe40usiZbTptXwNgMTj-fhjgt1ommg3-NGAh7aegv-GR__hfuCtwFvh2RJjUS-bxS1XjraGk_y1xNf0OyAIcTZ1jShjFXqwdhENufAA_AyzC9uyDd0TAgckyCixZoT_JwTuTMhBdM0/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(42).png" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>Prime Video's expensive <i>Lord of the Rings</i> show has just wrapped its first season; but is <i>Rings of Power</i> deserving of its lofty price tag? </b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpzwPI9GQqAOemAeW60gbxKoYQOK4FQ_8z1CbhPtidWSJroohYtPZ-yONAbjuXddZ8k1FUDKbr9H44cH5rynmOsN6R693bdu-8Au-TZFYYsdrddbP2EJYTAp7e06K42cyhZ9Md8ViXj_NKMOoqX5uTgA6ytfK2jdZ88SACx_OQi1zRtTNF8T2YMb9/s1926/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%209.07.33%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1926" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpzwPI9GQqAOemAeW60gbxKoYQOK4FQ_8z1CbhPtidWSJroohYtPZ-yONAbjuXddZ8k1FUDKbr9H44cH5rynmOsN6R693bdu-8Au-TZFYYsdrddbP2EJYTAp7e06K42cyhZ9Md8ViXj_NKMOoqX5uTgA6ytfK2jdZ88SACx_OQi1zRtTNF8T2YMb9/w400-h269/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%209.07.33%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Set thousands of years before Peter Jackson's two trilogies, <i>The Rings of Power</i> covers Tolkien's Second Age; a time of peace that is interrupted by the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of an alliance between Elves and Men. <br /><p></p><p>Right from the first episode, it's clear that there's scope to spare. Showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay understand that to sustain the story over eight lengthy episodes and beyond, they need to establish a suite of storylines and a sprawling ensemble cast straight out of the gate.</p><p>There's a host of plucky harfoots (basically hobbits); Nori (Markella Kavenagh), Poppy (Megan Richards), Marigold (Sara Zwangobani), Sadoc (Lenny Henry) and so on. A village of downtrodden Men in the Southlands, led Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) and her elven buddy Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova), the regal Men of Numenor, including Queen Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and Elendil (Lloyd Owen), and a duo of gruff dwarves, Prince Durin (Owain Arthur) and his wife Disa (Sophia Nomvete).<br /><br />Sitting at the centre of this ensemble is the show's protagonist, Morfydd Clark's Galadriel, as well as Robert Aramayo's Elrond. Together with Charles Edwards' Celebrimbor and Benjamin Walker's High King Gil-Galad, there's a big elvish contingent here, so expect plenty of pointy ears, flowing robes and tongue-twister dialogue. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGkgJGhw4NEoHGrej15FLNlp738NRh1RWnSALGi9stIAewMq7eYfjXJZla54yOOQZPddPHuCHgKq3o-u2H1D07mEvfYv73vrDgR5dnGe6kHaq-Xju1waBi7hVr3UQcvS-tOIjDQXyQxYfNr4bt4uOiAerUCFCiwk_z9vP193JtO1lSwkv-bM-rGjL/s2016/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%209.09.00%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="2016" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGkgJGhw4NEoHGrej15FLNlp738NRh1RWnSALGi9stIAewMq7eYfjXJZla54yOOQZPddPHuCHgKq3o-u2H1D07mEvfYv73vrDgR5dnGe6kHaq-Xju1waBi7hVr3UQcvS-tOIjDQXyQxYfNr4bt4uOiAerUCFCiwk_z9vP193JtO1lSwkv-bM-rGjL/w640-h296/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%209.09.00%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We're plunged right into the midst of this new vision of Middle-Earth; much like that first season of <i>Game of Thrones</i>, there's lot of competing plotlines, lore to pour over and vast distances to cover. Unlike <i>Thrones</i> of course, Tolkien's world is a lot more hopeful and sincere, more concerned with high fantasy ideas than taxation policy or whatever they debate in those Small Council meetings. So it's both complementary and counter-programming to <i>House of the Dragon</i>, which is much darker and political. </div><div><br /></div><div>What's new and interesting about <i>Rings of Power</i> though, is how the showrunners have interwoven a 'mystery box' element to its plot. Galadriel is seeking the last remnants of darkness, Morgoth and Sauron. We're kept in the dark (pun intended) over Sauron's true identity, whereabouts and motivations, but there are a handful of curious characters who could be the Dark Lord himself. The same goes for a character called The Stranger (Daniel Weyman), who falls from the sky and finds himself in the care of the Harfoots. Who he is, where he comes from and his true purpose remain a mystery for much of the season.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CxbaeClgpHLy6w11otUmNm5WXBLQN2qnmCCo2Tw2HZX__dcYaPyX-xa6C8kvwZYM72_gj9AwLgjnMX2_WmR4KGFcuLJHHo0R6XDSm1I2d4dShsW_NTzGmoWdJSKx4gtsnvjgGt1VUsqPMTDiNGSfy8xUbYNOLndlkx5XkXj7XzxvPyMilDSMFPLI/s2318/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.59.09%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="2318" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CxbaeClgpHLy6w11otUmNm5WXBLQN2qnmCCo2Tw2HZX__dcYaPyX-xa6C8kvwZYM72_gj9AwLgjnMX2_WmR4KGFcuLJHHo0R6XDSm1I2d4dShsW_NTzGmoWdJSKx4gtsnvjgGt1VUsqPMTDiNGSfy8xUbYNOLndlkx5XkXj7XzxvPyMilDSMFPLI/w640-h282/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.59.09%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiDvCilIcTDy2YkijXPw9Dn8xXYwbewffEtH8WQWbgPVNUci8QeOlork0wJZkb0PKyg9q7VK2ZAbo6rowyFvl0DWe2PKTPeDB8vAn-TIP_gb_QadPeUXBr-dDYXB1Q1vaARjLhrB4eVXGzFgdr7mKmGZZFnuXWvVPq5zDlfDsF1nHZpvefyumBeCg/s1860/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.58.59%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1860" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiDvCilIcTDy2YkijXPw9Dn8xXYwbewffEtH8WQWbgPVNUci8QeOlork0wJZkb0PKyg9q7VK2ZAbo6rowyFvl0DWe2PKTPeDB8vAn-TIP_gb_QadPeUXBr-dDYXB1Q1vaARjLhrB4eVXGzFgdr7mKmGZZFnuXWvVPq5zDlfDsF1nHZpvefyumBeCg/w400-h274/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-15%20at%2010.58.59%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div>Naturally, when you have so many interlocking plots, there are going to be some that bang and some that flop. Personally, I really enjoyed everything with Galadriel, Halbrand and Numenor, as well as the Southlands plot with Bronwyn and Arondir. Elrond's storyline with Durin and Disa is a little drawn out, while the Harfoots are wisely used sparingly. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Rings of Power</i>'s trump card is its visual effects and production value. It's not hyperbole to say that this show looks like eight really slick films that are being beamed into our homes every week. The sets and landscapes (much of this is filmed in a studio, yeah, but there's also some great location shooting) are grand and luscious, costumes and weaponry are detailed and intricate. There's a lot of love for the world and its lore that's wormed its way into every nook and cranny of the production. </div><div><br /></div><div>If, like me, you're a diehard fan of Jackson's vision of Middle-Earth, <i>Rings of Power</i> may take a little getting used to. The look and feel isn't the same, but they've done a good job of evoking the feel and vibe of Tolkien. Bear McCreary's score isn't as memorable as Howard Shore's iconic leitmotifs from Jackson's films, but it does the job – I can already see myself revisiting it when I'm working or writing in the future. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think my biggest complaint is the pacing and the dialogue. All of these episodes exceed an hour, and it's just unnecessary and (sometimes) a bit boring. It certainly doesn't help that most of the often cliche-ridden dialogue feels derivative of literally any other form of high fantasy. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also think the lack of name actors is a sore point; the biggest name in the cast is probably Morfydd Clark, and she's not exactly a household name. Perhaps they wanted to focus on the characters rather than the actors themselves, but it couldn't hurt to throw a couple recognisable British thesps in there – y'know a Keeley Hawes or a Rupert Friend. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll be back for season two; the finale actually sets up a more straightforward show that isn't shrouded in secrets and mysteries. With the battle lines more clearly drawn, maybe the narrative thrust will be stronger and more compelling going forward. If they can marry that with the already stellar visuals, then this has the potential to be up there with the best genre fare on TV. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>All eight episodes of <i>The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power</i> are streaming on Prime Video now.</b></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-37850251946834812712022-10-10T15:44:00.004+08:002022-10-10T15:44:33.051+08:00Film Review: Don't Worry Darling<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lrQSpsxmw_isuFdD4Xf2ac_qF7qecHX4jo78VG5RbAyRlriNYOjM3ogXNpeATo6BFZ45lops5ssYdnNyOXsXPitP3V8ale14RipxQb85AX4UjknMxnayrW1Eb-KSQ8jzUNp6-X1DozRg3qzjqqlAsNLWEnWXTKIHi4kVi8IvtoxXlIMC6klEnjRV/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(41).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lrQSpsxmw_isuFdD4Xf2ac_qF7qecHX4jo78VG5RbAyRlriNYOjM3ogXNpeATo6BFZ45lops5ssYdnNyOXsXPitP3V8ale14RipxQb85AX4UjknMxnayrW1Eb-KSQ8jzUNp6-X1DozRg3qzjqqlAsNLWEnWXTKIHi4kVi8IvtoxXlIMC6klEnjRV/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(41).png" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>It's the film that started a Twitter fracas or five; question is, is Olivia Wilde's sophomore effort actually more interesting offscreen than on it? Here are my thoughts on <i>Don't Worry Darling</i>.</b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdtZI9Wszhy8Fncx7atPLLhNOH6EsBe8Q58_iRNKmo_Xlb0riu0QlK30W6dTUklVtQfjpTMbDEKFSIdkMtgTURDzZBfrv54l-Kjs4E6DrUiQotXsSWQwYGbJhW7ljC7jlAGfcwqEmJAN6cbnf8lUVkishCfDt2yWk0C4TsWIOMy6TAs-vE5sYnm5W/s1123/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%203.54.03%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1123" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdtZI9Wszhy8Fncx7atPLLhNOH6EsBe8Q58_iRNKmo_Xlb0riu0QlK30W6dTUklVtQfjpTMbDEKFSIdkMtgTURDzZBfrv54l-Kjs4E6DrUiQotXsSWQwYGbJhW7ljC7jlAGfcwqEmJAN6cbnf8lUVkishCfDt2yWk0C4TsWIOMy6TAs-vE5sYnm5W/w400-h265/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%203.54.03%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>It's sometime in the 1950s and housewife Alice (Florence Pugh) and her dapper husband Jack (Harry Styles) are living an idyllic domestic lifestyle in the remote desert community of Victory, alongside a collection of likeminded couples. <br /><p></p><p>During the day, Jack and all their male neighbours up and leave for work at a secret headquarters with Chris Pine's enigmatic founder Frank, while Alice mixes with her fellow homemakers, Bunny (Wilde), Shelley (Gemma Chan), Violet (Sydney Chandler) and Peg (Kate Berlant). And by night, there's mixology and merriment galore, as the close-knit cul-de-sac comes together to share a glass and get tipsy. </p><p>It's a perfectly pleasant existence that on the margins is threatened by some odd, unexplained occurrences. Alice's friend Margaret (Kiki Layne) starts to exhibit strange behaviour before mysteriously disappearing, while talk about life outside the corporate commune is strictly off limits. Meanwhile, Alice is haunted by dizzying visions, confounding compulsions and a curious itch she just can't scratch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRTOJBl23kbnqDClkF3VUBL5O81OSSLHYsioep3YirbYTPw31C20EmUUbatOSk-tb_zgkPx3fpB4MSdyhwtaUPtnPLvEtD9wigZ5jeGsjA0IEOouluY4R83YXOBiFq7WIGlW_1v_5s3Hk173-3_yXRXfRhuf_o7gOMIR51NrPB5BTHn4UZdMMVY_k/s1104/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%203.54.34%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="1104" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRTOJBl23kbnqDClkF3VUBL5O81OSSLHYsioep3YirbYTPw31C20EmUUbatOSk-tb_zgkPx3fpB4MSdyhwtaUPtnPLvEtD9wigZ5jeGsjA0IEOouluY4R83YXOBiFq7WIGlW_1v_5s3Hk173-3_yXRXfRhuf_o7gOMIR51NrPB5BTHn4UZdMMVY_k/w640-h268/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%203.54.34%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RlRqtQOyrduilS3qLnY2BECfkuIBp8Se1jwo3soMNRvTf37ygNdzY1iKP3jc0o3_HFUJBXePs6o_nma0MjS3FrA4cs9RjrvUPNzzGweiG_0y-nxeL5AspIaMSMH2lXD1b156stnPHC8ZTHcLPjipdgg9Rpj4X9_UrpL9rfaq0HCUpm0GulRwJ-ra/s1191/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%204.15.39%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1191" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RlRqtQOyrduilS3qLnY2BECfkuIBp8Se1jwo3soMNRvTf37ygNdzY1iKP3jc0o3_HFUJBXePs6o_nma0MjS3FrA4cs9RjrvUPNzzGweiG_0y-nxeL5AspIaMSMH2lXD1b156stnPHC8ZTHcLPjipdgg9Rpj4X9_UrpL9rfaq0HCUpm0GulRwJ-ra/w400-h251/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%204.15.39%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>As an original, star-studded film with sex and suspense aimed squarely at adults, <i>Don't Won't Darling</i> is a vanishingly rare item in the Hollywood landscape nowadays. That alone doesn't make it worth recommending, but it does hold some sway. And while it's not as tight and assured as Wilde's first film – 2019's coming-of-age comedy <i>Booksmart</i> – it does demonstrate her ability to skip into trickier genre territory, armed with a budget and bigger cast.<br /><p></p><p>On the press tour, Wilde cited<i> The Matrix </i>and <i>Inception</i> as two films that inspired <i>Don't Worry Darling</i> – and without going into spoilers, that does track into the finished product. It's nowhere near as refined, gripping or exciting as either of those, but the core questions – where do all the men go during the day? What are they working on? Why can't the women leave the confines of their idyllic community – do come to a curious and compelling, if not totally satisfying, conclusion. </p><p>I think the biggest issue with <i>Don't Worry Darling</i> is the protracted second act, and the rather harried third. Wilde and her screenwriter Katie Silberman spend too long on the 'huh?' and not enough time on the 'here's how'. By the time the finale rolls around, and all is revealed, we've actually spent too long mired in the middle, asking ourselves 'what is actually going on here'.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWCby1ERYT85XJc619V8HRoGe0N5pPf2067rltMD99R1aScl0GADq6TX_92VNq1BnzvqO_LcjXC2ZsCKjtztykOFHs9ONhQZhMHqj4VNIuEGnJmPzhYQcfqDEpSPE-dYRwSLzCY5FySbO-aYxViP2ThcyNJBh4knT5pn0yRNKJXeZtuEM1WInoKJE/s839/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%204.14.56%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="565" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWCby1ERYT85XJc619V8HRoGe0N5pPf2067rltMD99R1aScl0GADq6TX_92VNq1BnzvqO_LcjXC2ZsCKjtztykOFHs9ONhQZhMHqj4VNIuEGnJmPzhYQcfqDEpSPE-dYRwSLzCY5FySbO-aYxViP2ThcyNJBh4knT5pn0yRNKJXeZtuEM1WInoKJE/w269-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-10%20at%204.14.56%20pm.png" width="269" /></a></div>As you might have already guessed, the answer is rooted in toxic masculinity, outdated concepts of gender, the power of technology to corrupt, and how people – in this case, young men – can be twisted into thinking or acting a certain way by those with charisma, power and a platform. <p></p><p>This isn't a bad underlying message, but I do think Wilde and Silberman don't quite stick the landing in conveying it. There's a version of this film where the third act isn't so rushed, where we learn a little bit more about how this all stitches together, that I think would result in a more thematically resonant story. </p><p>What keeps you locked in is the dashing cast, particularly Pugh, Pine and Chan. Pugh is probably the best actress under 30 working today, so it should come as no surprise that she carries this film with ease. Her matchup with Styles is a curious one, in that Styles isn't necessarily bad, he's just not on her level.</p><p>The production design is impeccable, and Wilde's direction is creative and bold in places. Setting aside the behind-the-scenes drama for just a second, I think this film is Wilde still finding her feet, undergoing some teething issues, and going for broke. That it doesn't always work is a shame, but bonus points for effort – hopefully she gets another crack of the whip again in the near future.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 7/10</span></span></h3><p>Not the massive misfire that most reviewers would have you believe, <i>Don't Worry Darling</i> is weirdly paced and light on answers, but still a solid sophomore effort for director Olivia Wilde and a really impressive showcase for Florence Pugh's lead actress credentials. </p><p><b><i>Don't Worry Darling</i> is in cinemas across Australia now.</b></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-40153539970310487402022-10-03T18:04:00.000+08:002022-10-03T18:04:14.978+08:00Film Review: Nope<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSrBo1IDODdpCecfOtLZviWx8nO5b-ExV19HkTC0J4saH1vyjEIxUK0DFwXIyDzxO5p-zB5yUmvcepdu0fsoNAAEIhxDsnQIYk9twKDUX2d2HYIXitp2m0MivIw-Oz6b9hFsp_VqVK2HyvJShZaI_HppO8pn0G6lBCyvcYPwUpAYw8Qz3ztKq5rr9CQ/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(38).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSrBo1IDODdpCecfOtLZviWx8nO5b-ExV19HkTC0J4saH1vyjEIxUK0DFwXIyDzxO5p-zB5yUmvcepdu0fsoNAAEIhxDsnQIYk9twKDUX2d2HYIXitp2m0MivIw-Oz6b9hFsp_VqVK2HyvJShZaI_HppO8pn0G6lBCyvcYPwUpAYw8Qz3ztKq5rr9CQ/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(38).png" width="640" /></a><br /><b><i><br />Nope</i>, Jordan Peele's third feature film, is a slick sci-fi thriller that asks audiences to look to the skies in search of answers.</b></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gjnXCj7wSXUTVAdkbDDXBVXAHMl6pcocCAI8REMhWVdJ9Zja9UyQo3ddmEfQPC5zcmRHpWBSJPkT5mygpBexfvyXiw7cdstMgckLpV94NSpGQxH9DJi_XJYX4-JuNsoQghQFiAJXhI1ZC5_bk4Dv4ZIQ2KSkWJ9hAoV6WL_VTekycKtP9epCsTG01A/s1784/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-01%20at%201.17.27%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="1784" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gjnXCj7wSXUTVAdkbDDXBVXAHMl6pcocCAI8REMhWVdJ9Zja9UyQo3ddmEfQPC5zcmRHpWBSJPkT5mygpBexfvyXiw7cdstMgckLpV94NSpGQxH9DJi_XJYX4-JuNsoQghQFiAJXhI1ZC5_bk4Dv4ZIQ2KSkWJ9hAoV6WL_VTekycKtP9epCsTG01A/w400-h284/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-01%20at%201.17.27%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Rather than crafting another gnarly horror fable in the same mould as <i>Get Out</i> or <i>Us</i>, Peele has changed tack and come up with something a little dreamier and fantastical. In <i>Nope,</i> Daniel Kaluuya plays introverted Hollywood horse wrangler OJ, who is struggling to keep his father's ranch business afloat after his sudden death.<br /><p></p><p>OJ, along with his effervescent sister Emerald (Keke Palmer), have taken to selling their horses to nearby theme park Jupiter's Claim, run by Jupe (Steven Yeun), a savvy former child star. However, their lives are upended when strange occurrences start afflicting their farm - sudden power outages, unexplained entities spooking their horses. It's all very suss, so they start to formulate a plan to get to the bottom of it. </p><p>Narratively, that's all you really need to know about <i>Nope</i>. The less you know, the better – I'd only seen one teaser trailer beforehand, and had a great time seeing Peele's slick screenplay slot all the puzzle pieces into place. It's slow, in the beginning, but in a good way – a return to the days when filmmakers trusted their audiences to be patient and let the film do its thing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGMCgqLDakfGjnxpJX9D6p3leyQEkx_qH-nmQ3Z_KxTbrWkiMhIcBOYipsLsuqTwCMb_gXLmAmw-2RiXejeqbt9OUdn5rzR_ssptxvm152o5q0TYhRONFOj_zd-MVd77q6vV7lHsQIkGk1ug3k-3uZtH-MJRrkW0eBGKcdriNnIM6HvFoaxmj4vV2Hw/s598/Nope02.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="598" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGMCgqLDakfGjnxpJX9D6p3leyQEkx_qH-nmQ3Z_KxTbrWkiMhIcBOYipsLsuqTwCMb_gXLmAmw-2RiXejeqbt9OUdn5rzR_ssptxvm152o5q0TYhRONFOj_zd-MVd77q6vV7lHsQIkGk1ug3k-3uZtH-MJRrkW0eBGKcdriNnIM6HvFoaxmj4vV2Hw/w640-h288/Nope02.gif" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div>Thematically, there's quite a bit going on – even if it's not as explicit about those themes as something like <i>Get Out,</i> where it's plain as day.<br /><p></p><p>When you peel back the layers, <i>Nope</i> is grappling with themes like exploitation, spectacle and capitalistic greed, and how those all intersect with tragedy and death. It's about how, even in the face of inexplicable horror, we struggle to look away. There's even religious undertones in here, with explicit Biblical references. </p><p>Behind the camera, Peele collaborates with Hoyte van Hoytema, who brings the same sense of scope and vastness to <i>Nope</i> that he did to <i>Interstellar</i>, <i>Ad Astra</i> and <i>Dunkirk</i>. There's an unmistakable 'scaling up' here; <i>Nope</i> feels much bigger than anything Peele has done before. There's some pretty big influences mixed in here too; shades of Spielberg, Kubrick and Shyamalan.</p><p>Kaluuya continues to deliver the goods (when does he not?), and Palmer is a hoot too – the two play very different characters, but share a boatload of sibling charisma. </p><p>Does the film have its pitfalls? Sure, I think it's a little oblique and is deliberately vague on some plot points. It feels like more of a 'mood piece' than something propulsive and watertight like <i>Get Out,</i> so I can see some corners of the audience losing interest or feeling their patience tested. But I didn't mind the deliberate pacing, the inexplicable nature of the central phenomena that plagues the ranch. It all feeds into the cloud of mystery that shrouds the film. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 8/10</span></span></h3><p>A curious blockbuster that mixes a lot of influences into one big melting pot, <i>Nope</i> feels like Peele striving to broaden his horizons as a storyteller.</p><p><b><i>Nope</i> is available on home formats now.</b></p>rhyscpascoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958989487003807107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-87022859877946215172022-09-17T13:55:00.008+08:002022-09-17T13:55:55.149+08:00What I'm Watching: September 2022<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vbe13nq6tX3HmeLR0SHWibTRbjP65eKjgk4zmqeL7rFujbLWp-J9s-iN6-CIqUA5TvFutiVD2ZdHSiCgj9E9ZOerf3Xid_wYDsxp3M0T9TttUoFQ3-MW1mHZ0cmdDgTVtaz33yvibzHIZm-q3kDjqIkCdhDXGGOiqcQT3e6CjiYKTLzT33XAgxQz/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(40).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vbe13nq6tX3HmeLR0SHWibTRbjP65eKjgk4zmqeL7rFujbLWp-J9s-iN6-CIqUA5TvFutiVD2ZdHSiCgj9E9ZOerf3Xid_wYDsxp3M0T9TttUoFQ3-MW1mHZ0cmdDgTVtaz33yvibzHIZm-q3kDjqIkCdhDXGGOiqcQT3e6CjiYKTLzT33XAgxQz/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(40).png" width="640" /></a></div><b><br />A quick recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, featuring <i>The Bear</i> on Disney+ and two fantasy prequels: HBO's <i>House of the Dragon</i> and Prime Video's <i>The Rings of Power.</i></b></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">House of the Dragon season one (Binge)</span></h3><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDm_3vRQ33hqICo1kQmb00BvtL4Y34nXSb0Y_-KnHz--n9D6IaK6qlVvAL-Sinev-5335EEMve27zjfP-HlPw6NpTAITL-gF9zzl4kXWrPyz08ryvbtkbEamuixTrpO1Q8ANYmQ63FU43EdfSQUiETHyjg2hzaSjyFjJJCouNlc2WqOFe0ggPolcZ/s1940/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="1940" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDm_3vRQ33hqICo1kQmb00BvtL4Y34nXSb0Y_-KnHz--n9D6IaK6qlVvAL-Sinev-5335EEMve27zjfP-HlPw6NpTAITL-gF9zzl4kXWrPyz08ryvbtkbEamuixTrpO1Q8ANYmQ63FU43EdfSQUiETHyjg2hzaSjyFjJJCouNlc2WqOFe0ggPolcZ/w400-h294/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Game of Thrones</i> is back baby! Three years after the controversial and somewhat calamitous eighth season, this prequel is off to a promising start. <br /><p></p><p>Set about 200 years before the events of <i>Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon</i> finds House Targaryen – that viewers will be well-acquainted with through Emilia Clarke's Daenerys – at the peak of their powers. King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) sits on the Iron Throne, but faces a succession conundrum. Should the crown fall to his young daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) or his plotting brother Daemon (Matt Smith)? </p><p>There's intrigue and conspiracy aplenty right from the get-go in House of the Dragon, which differs from Game of Thrones in that there's substantial skips in time, sometimes several years, after each episode. We're checking in with these characters at important junctures in their lives, rather than a more intricate and plodding plot that follows them every step of the way.</p><p>I think there's still some kinks to be ironed out, but on the whole House of the Dragon scratches that Westerosi itch quite nicely. Series MVPs to date are Alcock and Smith, but Considine is doing great work too as the somewhat meek king. It'll be interesting to see how the show changes now that some of the cast have aged up into new actors, like Emma D'Arcy as the older Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke as the older Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra's bestie slash enemy.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one (Prime Video)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DAJ0EWaT1QIjyJqa-DIkTjq5AUG9z0CgzrhZZnXQL2RUO9vt9OTBwUMzJ9lWZihRdIPlyf7huvl5opiAONEWsMbXUyaqvB4UlTv2WidtDe1-y5xh84CdiUoocTmkAUoKTC8-w0-dAsCqVyT1nsLjyIhWZZYVaWqkz-_BoYr9keU7IyVj3bhNJzDs/s1378/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-14%20at%2011.03.10%20am.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1378" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DAJ0EWaT1QIjyJqa-DIkTjq5AUG9z0CgzrhZZnXQL2RUO9vt9OTBwUMzJ9lWZihRdIPlyf7huvl5opiAONEWsMbXUyaqvB4UlTv2WidtDe1-y5xh84CdiUoocTmkAUoKTC8-w0-dAsCqVyT1nsLjyIhWZZYVaWqkz-_BoYr9keU7IyVj3bhNJzDs/w400-h326/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-14%20at%2011.03.10%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div>Meanwhile, in Middle-Earth: Jeff Bezos is spending money like there's no tomorrow. <br /><p></p><p>That's the main takeaway from the first three episodes of <i>Rings of Power</i>. Simply put, television has never looked so expensive or so impressive. Seriously, the scope of this things is something you have to see to believe. </p><p>It captures the aura and mood of being back in the Middle-Earth, even if it doesn't look exactly like Peter Jackson's cherished trilogy. It's also insanely nerdy, with high fantasy themes, concepts and terminology flying around like they're going out of fashion. </p><p>There's also a huge cast – elves, dwarves, harfoots, men, orcs and others. It's not unlike those early days of <i>Game of Thrones</i>, with multiple storylines all travelling in tandem in opposite corners of the realm. Keeping track can be a challenge, especially if you're not already familiar with Tolkien's world, but so far it's so good.<br /><br /></p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Bear season one (Disney+)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztxygRHKu3S_mPY5naqfRRc7NxTN8-f0_lBzAd3fZMkgdZCK89fsir8jEwTXKzNmPvHBx8Z0YuOccxGGrxiGCG8k8_olF2jMjPgszNlM9A-VSqNAk0TH7bNbFRRoS1Y08nh6LOQJytb4otyQLLFY_WAaBu6cjYUGDImB-efsg5p0z7AmapgCOK5fJ/s1862/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-14%20at%201.14.47%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1862" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztxygRHKu3S_mPY5naqfRRc7NxTN8-f0_lBzAd3fZMkgdZCK89fsir8jEwTXKzNmPvHBx8Z0YuOccxGGrxiGCG8k8_olF2jMjPgszNlM9A-VSqNAk0TH7bNbFRRoS1Y08nh6LOQJytb4otyQLLFY_WAaBu6cjYUGDImB-efsg5p0z7AmapgCOK5fJ/w400-h281/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-14%20at%201.14.47%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>If you're looking for something you can devour over a long weekend, look no further than <i>The Bear</i>, all eight episodes of which dropped on Disney+ at the end of August. I had along heard good things going in, and only good things to share afterwards too – suffice to say, it's one of my favourite shows of the year.<div><br /></div><div>The show is about a talented cook called Carmy, who gives up his life working a posh New York restaurant and returns home to Chicago, to take over a popular but dilapidated sandwich shop after its owner – his brother – commits suicide. Carmy, who is battling demons of his own, must corral the ramshackle staff, which includes the loose cannon interim manager, Richie. <p>Thematically and narratively, <i>The Bear</i> is in similar territory to something else I reviewed earlier this, the British indie film <i>Boiling Point</i> starring Stephen Graham. Debts are racking up, there's chaos and unprofessionalism rife in the kitchen, the protagonist seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown at any moment. All good stuff that makes for excellent, high-stakes character drama – is Marcus going to find the perfect recipe for his new line of doughnuts? How can we make our next rent payment without Richie selling crack in the alleyway out back? Who keeps sabotaging the staff and causing us to trip up when the clock is ticking?</p><p>If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen – because hoo boy, there's a lot of heat coming off this one. <i>The Bear</i> is like a livewire that sparks and crackles with energy, and each episode races by in a flash. Creator Christopher Storer, who also writes and directs some of the show, brings a lot of visual panache and frenetic editing, so the audience feels like they're caught in the chaos of the kitchen.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Barry season one (Binge)</span></span></h3></div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwcGWj4J-jeN_vyvIpyjv_wGPcFcORo0BY-FT5cgZW5wFSleXZpnWze36LVVxb6oX4Pc9IAGZUaejOiEwQTVb1wAd2IxC1wQXnLLbAZFRtizCKc1RAn8Jf6BMq4ITN1_oU5qGrisY2sXzPwqv6bOKkiOgVTi_gilgWOxnJ-v8n7ZVrT18RA52RkEb/s1229/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-17%20at%203.38.59%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1229" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwcGWj4J-jeN_vyvIpyjv_wGPcFcORo0BY-FT5cgZW5wFSleXZpnWze36LVVxb6oX4Pc9IAGZUaejOiEwQTVb1wAd2IxC1wQXnLLbAZFRtizCKc1RAn8Jf6BMq4ITN1_oU5qGrisY2sXzPwqv6bOKkiOgVTi_gilgWOxnJ-v8n7ZVrT18RA52RkEb/w400-h269/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-17%20at%203.38.59%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><span><span>Bill Hader is the writer, director, producer and star of <i style="font-weight: normal;">Barry</i>, a darkly comedic drama about a hitman who is eager to get out of the game and pursue a newfound passion for theatre. <br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>If that sounds like an odd concept, it doesn't feel odd in practice. <i>Barry's</i> first season, which I've only found time for now after it first made waves in 2018, pitches that initial premise to perfection. There's no fat here either, which to me is part of the appeal and brilliance – somewhere like Netflix, Hader would have been made to stretch out the runtime to an hour, like some kind of <i>Ozark</i>-adjacent crime drama.</span></span></div><br />As it stands, the 24 to 29-minute runtime on these episodes works like a charm. There's a small ensemble cast of fun characters; on one side of Barry's life we have Henry Winkler's theatre class teacher Gene Cousineau and Sarah Goldberg's love interest and scene partner Sally Reed. On the other, Stephen Root plays Monroe Fuches, Barry's handler, and circling them like a hawk is Paula Newsome as agent Janice Moss. How they cross paths or barely bypass one another, keeping Barry's two lives seperate, forms the crux of the tension and narrative.<div><br /></div><div>I've heard that this show only goes from strength to strength, and given that season one ends on a massive twist, I'm really eager to see where it goes next. <br /><div><br /><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Hustle (Netflix)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dTm3-kevdVKglTU6u4Bwy8mnK1NRvLywtyXtqlqQqbSr5sHVMS7COfWa9-6yjf5lyxDuvkzn11o35zY7e-y5zVLDgCgy0vWOgNBnLofsihfDTNd3-sL4J5c_jOuYytGLIGiaMLSNgbE8_mePMV_hALD2ZrVuMlTaQ-yC-Ue5jsTuGO8cWfCXiuLB/s1800/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-15%20at%205.12.17%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dTm3-kevdVKglTU6u4Bwy8mnK1NRvLywtyXtqlqQqbSr5sHVMS7COfWa9-6yjf5lyxDuvkzn11o35zY7e-y5zVLDgCgy0vWOgNBnLofsihfDTNd3-sL4J5c_jOuYytGLIGiaMLSNgbE8_mePMV_hALD2ZrVuMlTaQ-yC-Ue5jsTuGO8cWfCXiuLB/w400-h285/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-15%20at%205.12.17%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div></h3>I've never been a big fan of Adam Sandler's brand of comedy, but his recent dramatic output – namely Uncut Gems – has been really good. Hustle sees Sandler play Stanley Sugarman, a scout for NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Stan spends months at a time on the road, jetting across the world looking for young talent that the Sixers can draft into their roster, but it's his dream to get his feet under a desk back in Philly and see his family more.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Happenstance sees Stan cross paths with gifted baller Bo Cruz (played by NBA player Juancho Hernangómez) while on a job in Mallorca. A bit rough around the edges, but with oodles of raw talent, Stan takes it upon himself to smooth off Bo's imperfections and get him locked into a lucrative NBA contract, which in turn would allow Stan to step back from the scouting for good.</div><div><br /></div><div>The real appeal of Hustle, is its use of the NBA's powerful licensing and branding, as well as the parade of current and former players, coaches, pundits and staff who round out the cast (many of whom are playing themselves).</div><div><br /></div><div>And if you're not an avid basketball fan like myself, there's still a lot to like. Sandler is in top form as this down-on-his-luck guy just trying to spend more time with his family. Queen Latifah plays Sandler's wife, while Ben Foster makes for a great villain as fictitious Sixers owner Vince Merrick, who will stop at nothing to put Stan back in his box.</div><div><br /></div><div>The story itself is pretty unsurprising, but that's also part of the charm – after all, who doesn't love a straightforward sports movie that sticks to the script and leaves you feeling satisfied?</div></div></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-87083329971359091852022-09-08T20:42:00.000+08:002022-09-08T20:42:44.742+08:00Film Review: Thor – Love and Thunder<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWdfDMCUjeT9DQxIqOs545KmMe7w_0xepqjTuSbfCY0i9plvQDUALPmXy9_YGFySzalj2yKE0QlA1gD3aLZj1XmUTimzC0V8l2hGAEGzIzf2BRlXsIkWHX3XHLVqz_TJoZ3pe2ex0_oUk15g_3x3NEqMBbQ8gjt6mem3DIMFhJxWvKrWqLGFaP3UG/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(37).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWdfDMCUjeT9DQxIqOs545KmMe7w_0xepqjTuSbfCY0i9plvQDUALPmXy9_YGFySzalj2yKE0QlA1gD3aLZj1XmUTimzC0V8l2hGAEGzIzf2BRlXsIkWHX3XHLVqz_TJoZ3pe2ex0_oUk15g_3x3NEqMBbQ8gjt6mem3DIMFhJxWvKrWqLGFaP3UG/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(37).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>Chris Hemsworth's muscled Viking deity Thor is back for round four, this time teaming up with a returning Natalie Portman to do battle with Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoW_sbtIOVYYD3OUnF6fbbPub1yvTn6W7cNbYLPlOtyw5eq7SaQucQSB4BmLvtupTLzoz889coO80QnbGXxMCI0IPniyWW6rfDpukcIIudlQShQTG2-o7Y-DqutUzofjvGvgohUi9tqCW-8Q81g9ybRHtvil2iR2bzyPM3RZbBsnay34340Zm9hfp/s1892/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-08%20at%2010.31.06%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1892" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoW_sbtIOVYYD3OUnF6fbbPub1yvTn6W7cNbYLPlOtyw5eq7SaQucQSB4BmLvtupTLzoz889coO80QnbGXxMCI0IPniyWW6rfDpukcIIudlQShQTG2-o7Y-DqutUzofjvGvgohUi9tqCW-8Q81g9ybRHtvil2iR2bzyPM3RZbBsnay34340Zm9hfp/w400-h276/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-08%20at%2010.31.06%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><span></span>Cast your mind back to 2017, and <i>Thor: Ragnarok</i> felt like a breath of fresh air. Not that Marvel needed it; five years ago, their cinematic universe was going from strength to strength. Nevertheless, <i>Ragnarok</i> was a revelation: New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi, at the time best known for wholesome indie dramas like <i>Hunt for the Wilderpeople</i>, brought a kooky Kiwi sense of humour that was fun, offbeat, and offered a new slant on a character that had up to that point, felt a little one-note. <br /><p></p><p>Such was <i>Ragnarok's</i> popularity, that Waititi was brought back for another one – and the entire ethos this time around seems to be, 'just run it back'. I don't want to call it lazy, but there's an air of that wafting throughout <i>Love and Thunder</i>, as it strives and strains to find something compelling to anchor Hemsworth's fourth solo outing, and his eighth film as Thor overall. </p><p>After a sombre cold open that establishes Christian Bale's antagonist Gorr the God Butcher (more on him later), we cut to Thor on his current adventure. After the events of <i>Avengers: Endgame</i>, Thor is searching for new meaning, which right now means jetting around the galaxy with the Guardians (Chris Pratt's Star-Lord et al), fighting the good fight.</p><p>However, it's not long before Thor learns of a new foe – the aforementioned Gorr – who is threatening to put an end to all gods, including those who call Asgard home. It's here, on a visit to the new Earthbound Asgard, that Thor meets his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Portman), who somehow wields the previously shattered hammer, Mjolnir, and possesses the powers of Thor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqFbpucaLUKiRXkf-0BoBHQrnjm4fdvv1DV7gsG5T59wKhEM49MNU1doan8CCZDLeH6kdMe7jub5tAhft7KsdMpFnc6VmBxK7E5M8qDza0ZBTL1pzmMeeyxMfJEAtODNtyeSrlo_aQ768stHyXDBzmNNr0V9_oP2XMhaY-2ou6qHj2Y-aLI7KqQxz/s498/thor-love-and-thunder-thor.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="498" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqFbpucaLUKiRXkf-0BoBHQrnjm4fdvv1DV7gsG5T59wKhEM49MNU1doan8CCZDLeH6kdMe7jub5tAhft7KsdMpFnc6VmBxK7E5M8qDza0ZBTL1pzmMeeyxMfJEAtODNtyeSrlo_aQ768stHyXDBzmNNr0V9_oP2XMhaY-2ou6qHj2Y-aLI7KqQxz/w640-h264/thor-love-and-thunder-thor.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p>Alongside Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Waititi), Thor and Jane set off in search of an army to defeat Gorr once and for all, a quest that sees them cross paths with Russell Crowe's gilded god Zeus. </p><p>I think my main issue with <i>Love and Thunder</i> is how fast and loose it feels. I know Taika is known for films that are quite frayed or shaggy, but this time around it just feels unfocused and half-arsed. There's very little plot to speak of, and what plot there is doesn't seem to really matter in the grand scheme of things. So much so, that <i>Love and Thunder</i> almost feels...throwaway? Like nothing of consequence actually happens or changes?</p><p>Which is a real shame, because there's some good stuff in here, that doesn't shine through because Taika is more interested in indulging his sillier side. The running gags (there's one about a pair of screaming goats, which feels like it was pulled from a 2014 CollegeHumor sketch) bump up against some of the film's more emotional moments, of which there are plenty, in theory.</p><p>Jane's arc – she's been diagnosed with stage four cancer and is relying on Mjolnir's power to cling to life – would make for an interesting contrast, between Thor's immortality and her own mortality, if the film was at all interested in going there.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7UdPhKxZgKTqpnIKXTkFvt3k5yzq_NRAR93Y2lG1xnkATHf-pESDanzZDTb_E9i6T8i9fUKqzvJW1PeZfKqvtRfm2GeJwFBYq7FYgvS0QIf-_JjjwfrRcclRhNpeDLv0NEc4zQkazinJQfrF6JvzumcUjYlVXdEzLMQAQRWsypp1voFoR354QpXY/s2500/MV5BYmMxZWRiMTgtZjM0Ny00NDQxLWIxYWQtZDdlNDNkOTEzYTdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7UdPhKxZgKTqpnIKXTkFvt3k5yzq_NRAR93Y2lG1xnkATHf-pESDanzZDTb_E9i6T8i9fUKqzvJW1PeZfKqvtRfm2GeJwFBYq7FYgvS0QIf-_JjjwfrRcclRhNpeDLv0NEc4zQkazinJQfrF6JvzumcUjYlVXdEzLMQAQRWsypp1voFoR354QpXY/w270-h400/MV5BYmMxZWRiMTgtZjM0Ny00NDQxLWIxYWQtZDdlNDNkOTEzYTdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>Their rekindled romance is also ripe for drama, but it's undercut by a recurring joke about Thor's axe, Stormbreaker, being jealous of Mjolnir. There's a theme in there somewhere around children or childhood, and how Thor and Jane missed out of their own children by pushing each other away, but it is brushed aside for a third act battle featuring a teddy bear that shoots lightning out of its eyes.<p></p><p>Hell, even Gorr has an emotional story in there – but after that interesting prologue, Bale is sort of reduced to a snarling Pied Piper-esque figure.<br /></p><p>There's a couple of good set pieces – a face-off with Gorr in the second half, atop a desolate moon that is cast in stark black and white, is striking and captivating to look at, with imaginative use of lighting and movement. An earlier tussle in Zeus' palace is shiny and splashy, with lots of dazzling visual effects.</p><p>But it's not enough to distract from underlying sense of aimlessness. Maybe that's the point? Since that's what Thor is feeling at the start of the film? But a lack of direction or purpose doesn't make for a particularly interesting film, especially when you're this far into series. Without a compelling narrative thrust or weighty stakes, <i>Love and Thunder </i>is just a deeply unserious piece of disposable fluff where handsome people riff, wink and smirk for two hours. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 5/10</span></span></h3><p>Try as he might, Waititi can't make lightning strike twice. <i>Thor: Love and Thunder </i>is a sloppy and directionless mishmash of ideas that doesn't meld together. A surprising swing and a miss from all concerned. </p><p><b><i>Thor: Love and Thunder </i>is streaming on Disney+ now.</b></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-50387741914921845922022-09-08T05:12:00.005+08:002022-09-17T10:51:43.313+08:00Blockbuster Stories Have Moved From Cinemas to Streaming<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmJx3-3iRw_KPMD_IRgiC9lZtbk-I8pqsG84qr8SRzH8NTIDVqPcTuex11VHzUy03yJDBloshKWuZUrXIWxGJPBsQceMxh0VXRUQDu1K8SQD0L6EyfBk_Z2T_u_IIGysUsm8IC9vhmZdAnnZFSJ85rizCYIUI5u0SG_APvBTjbpxNTzGYfGaGFat3/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(39).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmJx3-3iRw_KPMD_IRgiC9lZtbk-I8pqsG84qr8SRzH8NTIDVqPcTuex11VHzUy03yJDBloshKWuZUrXIWxGJPBsQceMxh0VXRUQDu1K8SQD0L6EyfBk_Z2T_u_IIGysUsm8IC9vhmZdAnnZFSJ85rizCYIUI5u0SG_APvBTjbpxNTzGYfGaGFat3/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(39).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Living room sofas rather than cinema recliners are the new home of blockbuster stories, if the past few months are anything to go by. Is this the new normal going forward, or are cinemas still an integral part of big-budget storytelling?<br /><span></span></b><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpzTSQq2jrltLT7GJ6eD4Ub7-KNZEzZxfCc0_ECMkpwsnkTU6Ta6p_XS2HpmxRyP9p2bfmKK_BgSchG_Xli0C9MWGzbb2DdCEDPkQBlKNnOEZONEfmNObyTVamOhhm6WHfimaFi4DCshCqNt2RRiz4crzCmn7aH0_1-kVBzfGkT-OT1M4BX_16rBl/s1814/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.55.31%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1814" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpzTSQq2jrltLT7GJ6eD4Ub7-KNZEzZxfCc0_ECMkpwsnkTU6Ta6p_XS2HpmxRyP9p2bfmKK_BgSchG_Xli0C9MWGzbb2DdCEDPkQBlKNnOEZONEfmNObyTVamOhhm6WHfimaFi4DCshCqNt2RRiz4crzCmn7aH0_1-kVBzfGkT-OT1M4BX_16rBl/w400-h313/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.55.31%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div>Aside for a couple of notable exceptions, it's not been a great summer blockbuster season. Sure, we've had the likes of <i>Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World: Dominion </i>and <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> – dominating cinema screens – $1.4 billion, $996 million and $751 million apiece – but the volume of hits or releases hasn't been there. <br /></div><p></p><p>In the United States, <i>Maverick</i> just reclaimed the number one spot at the box office in its fifteenth (!) week. Here in Australia, <i>Thor</i> spent a whole month at the top of the charts, only to be supplanted by <i>Bullet Train</i> for a three-week spell. </p><p>After a strong start to summer, the receipts are starting to trail off – the top ten releases at the Australian box office haven't collected more than $10 million in a week in about two months, since the start of July. Suffice to say, while audiences are ready to flock back to the cinema, the number of new releases to check out is dwindling – and if there's fewer and fewer new films to watch, why bother coming back?</p><p>It's because, and nowhere is this more evident than the last month, really big releases are now living out their lives on streaming platforms, rather than in multiplexes. These past three or four months have been absolutely rammed with 'must-see', big-budget television, the kind of stuff you'd normally see in a shorter, cinematic format at your local cinema. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">Strangely enough</span></h3><p>Netflix has been sliding out of the spotlight this past year, but briefly bucked the trend from May to June with the release of <i>Stranger Things 4</i>. According to the Wall Street Journal, each episode of the nine-episode season cost around $30 million, which shakes out to a smidgen under $300 million for the whole shebang. That's not just a blockbuster film budget, that's akin to an <i>Avengers</i> or <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> movie budget.</p><p>The episodes themselves were conflated too; the finale clocked in at a staggering two-and-a-half hours, making it a feature-length farewell all on its own. And let's not look past the big selling point: the production value. Stranger Things has always looked and sounded good, but this season really delivered in the spectacle stakes, with visual effects that wouldn't look out of place on the big screen.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV_3ahDBsf7-rNXKYCFK_pdeo5Dn7tQln64gQPNaPssa0BEuZBP-zWt3fFuhVglnXgomO91Bkt-1vy-miLAo-b1MJNFMLveVSrvV6fhRw1zzqJTB_dO5CNVKgvYeb5l3DbHGCvPAr9cCiGKKRWa2VVKWlzujkaqtSdF481ApkgTY01gRTSb7PLTJH/s2716/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.54.18%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="2716" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV_3ahDBsf7-rNXKYCFK_pdeo5Dn7tQln64gQPNaPssa0BEuZBP-zWt3fFuhVglnXgomO91Bkt-1vy-miLAo-b1MJNFMLveVSrvV6fhRw1zzqJTB_dO5CNVKgvYeb5l3DbHGCvPAr9cCiGKKRWa2VVKWlzujkaqtSdF481ApkgTY01gRTSb7PLTJH/w640-h266/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.54.18%20am.png" width="640" /></a></p><p>The streamer also splashed the cash for Neil Gaiman's <i>Sandman</i> series, reportedly spending $15 million per episode for the eleven-episode first season, as well as $200 million for The Gray Man, a spy thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. Add that all up, and that's somewhere in the region of $660 million on just three projects released in the space of four months!</p><p></p>Back in May, Disney debuted its $90 million <i>Obi-Wan Kenobi</i> miniseries, starring Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen – it's no secret that this series started life as a film, before Disney switched up its approach and opted to focus on its streaming service, Disney+. And later this month, comes the premiere of <i>Andor</i>, another Star Wars series that ties into the films, as a prequel to a prequel (2016's <i>Rogue One</i>).<div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">Beautiful, dark, twisted fantasies</span></h3><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhI4lGcJz8tDidM_nKSczC_Jd3MnPcs1KpFv4R4PI3LWtrZ9G5Oz9eSGKP8iJblE1Bp4JSC43-asbMCbi9vYw1hKLjvmJUopzwwpT33Kvwb9o4_VctU-b2YqEWjlVUjmT5483_5gddkyZQY9dL17QFaJJ33fld4_-Ti-EUHF6GO7PWVmJANCQUfs_/s1940/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="1940" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhI4lGcJz8tDidM_nKSczC_Jd3MnPcs1KpFv4R4PI3LWtrZ9G5Oz9eSGKP8iJblE1Bp4JSC43-asbMCbi9vYw1hKLjvmJUopzwwpT33Kvwb9o4_VctU-b2YqEWjlVUjmT5483_5gddkyZQY9dL17QFaJJ33fld4_-Ti-EUHF6GO7PWVmJANCQUfs_/w400-h294/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.51.35%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div>Meanwhile, HBO has gone all in a prequel of its own with <i>Game of Thrones</i> spin-off, <i>House of the Dragon</i>. The show, helmed by Thrones alum Miguel Sapochnik, cost $20 million per episode, totalling $200 million for the first season. And the gamble appears to have paid off, with the show attracting HBO's largest audience for a new original series in the United States.<br /><p></p><p>Not to be outdone, Prime Video has entered the fray in the last couple of weeks with the grandest and most expensive show of the lot.</p><p>The first season of <i>Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power</i> (yep, another fantasy prequel) reportedly cost somewhere in the region of $465 million to produce, and that's before you consider the purchase of the IP itself and the marketing spend on this behemoth. </p><p>It's an astoundingly large sum, if you think about it, because we've yet to acclimatise or adjust our expectations in this new streaming era. In 2019, when <i>Avengers: Endgame </i>made a $1.2 billion in a single weekend in cinemas, that was quantifiable justification for Marvel's $356 million budget.</p><p>And going off the first two episodes alone (that's all that's aired at the time of writing), every dollar and cent of that extortionate budget has made it's way onto the screen – with glittering production design and visual effects, <i>The Rings of Power</i> looks and sounds incredible. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreaOw67-3-m6vNb_dDyucy_rdx5Gpo174RH5uWFPUeaC2MMWgG9-krfnihsJ7JE_Qvtqorus8MeFygSl1KjRaukm9Vf9Sihl4Zr7CaBFecqGsPDSdtVbbcA6qH46HhAJ5va80NYV-rmtvwGlkcCgrQbGSAdzE1ibjuVJMBHUgqYdjMkhdb0bnd1oT/s2540/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.52.01%20am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="2540" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreaOw67-3-m6vNb_dDyucy_rdx5Gpo174RH5uWFPUeaC2MMWgG9-krfnihsJ7JE_Qvtqorus8MeFygSl1KjRaukm9Vf9Sihl4Zr7CaBFecqGsPDSdtVbbcA6qH46HhAJ5va80NYV-rmtvwGlkcCgrQbGSAdzE1ibjuVJMBHUgqYdjMkhdb0bnd1oT/w640-h288/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%206.52.01%20am.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">Money, money, money</span></h3><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIc9fL6rpxKMBBHIZuf8lyZRk4rI9bHPmBrJFx-veTKVXVAq-Njrueqm1cvYDls71mY4mjXHqN0ugdzwcULZg3FVJTeEnEMi3rt23DVU1gtzEeYBpDR_1LC0x9cY9NA5QiM1qIr_oBsB_rUUjUgULmvStEoUqdNuQZOGLc4KZj5CGMSEOKZaB-kpIA/s2088/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%208.40.14%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="2088" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIc9fL6rpxKMBBHIZuf8lyZRk4rI9bHPmBrJFx-veTKVXVAq-Njrueqm1cvYDls71mY4mjXHqN0ugdzwcULZg3FVJTeEnEMi3rt23DVU1gtzEeYBpDR_1LC0x9cY9NA5QiM1qIr_oBsB_rUUjUgULmvStEoUqdNuQZOGLc4KZj5CGMSEOKZaB-kpIA/w400-h255/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-07%20at%208.40.14%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>With streaming, there are no ticket stubs to track or dollar amounts that the industry can keep count of. It's hard to know, week to week, if Amazon is somehow recouping that cost with new subscription sign-ups, or at least holding onto existing ones (which is more than can be said for Netflix right now).<br /><p></p><p>All we know, is what we're told – this many million hours watched, this many views in the first 24 hours etcetera etcetera. It's all a bit cloak and dagger, don't you think? </p><p>On face value, which is to say, if we take their word for it, the spend has garnered results. To varying degrees, each of these shows or films have drawn people's attention. <i>Stranger Things</i> sat at the centre of online discourse and discussion for weeks back in June; similarly, <i>House of the Dragon</i> and <i>The Rings of Power </i>are everywhere online at the moment, for better and for worse. </p><p>Whether or not they've <i>actually</i> made back their budget, in the traditional sense, we'll likely never know – but in terms of growing the reach, engagement and exposure of their host platform, it's undeniable that these shows are making waves.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">So what does this all mean?</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OLDCAVWxmCkgFNjetIz3RbboYsa3ounTBpXg0mw381FOS6A3zzYBmJLWQgHN_oxMUBxQdvM7HHDsNxE9dgDuTWa5-rt6bY4SURhyucYERIIfrAhh0USzye_6HOgtAN0hxY9ttVJybZgRtOomM26T4pkYszeNtYbZnacpPFYP4gLyNGVqOToUUFed/s5000/PA-1542048.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3326" data-original-width="5000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OLDCAVWxmCkgFNjetIz3RbboYsa3ounTBpXg0mw381FOS6A3zzYBmJLWQgHN_oxMUBxQdvM7HHDsNxE9dgDuTWa5-rt6bY4SURhyucYERIIfrAhh0USzye_6HOgtAN0hxY9ttVJybZgRtOomM26T4pkYszeNtYbZnacpPFYP4gLyNGVqOToUUFed/w400-h266/PA-1542048.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>All of this to say (and I realise, it's a lot of numbers to digest), that we're firmly rooted in a new era of blockbuster storytelling. Back in the 1970s, when the likes of <i>Jaws</i> and <i>Star Wars</i> practically invented the meaning of the word 'blockbuster', it would have been inconceivable that one day, you wouldn't even have to leave the house, let alone queue around the block, to see the freshest film or the biggest movie in town. <br /><p></p><p>Hell, even 10 years ago, the notion that something like <i>The Avengers</i> or <i>Skyfall</i>, the two biggest films that year, would be beamed into your TV after a narrow 45-day theatrical window would have been ludicrous. </p><p>What does all this mean for the industry going forward? Beats me, especially when something like COVID comes along and turbocharges change like never before. But it's becoming increasingly clear that this shift away from theatres isn't just hurting a traditional and cherished revenue stream, it's limiting choices for audiences. </p><p>Fewer films are finding their way into theatres – something like <i>Prey</i>, for example, would have made a killing in cinemas five or 10 years ago. Now it's dumped on Hulu, all part of the ongoing churn and burn of content – and that means there's increasingly less to entice audiences back to cinemas. Say I've got a spare evening, what am I going to do – go and see <i>Maverick</i> for the third, fourth or fifth time? There's little else to choose from. </p><p>Additionally, those mid-budget movies that cater to adults are now being carved up and turned into six-part or eight-part miniseries, like Apple TV's excellent prison drama <i>Black Bird</i> or HBO Max's compelling true crime series <i>The Staircase</i>. Both great shows, don't get me wrong – but five or 10 years ago, these probably would have been a film. Meanwhile, modest mysteries like <i>Where The Crawdads Sing</i> or original sci-fi like Jordan Peele's <i>Nope</i>, increasingly feel like a rarity these days – and down the line, will probably be shafted onto streaming.</p><p>I think the real question is, can streamers like Netflix, Prime Video and the rest keep up this pace forever? Surely spending half a billion dollars on three or four properties isn't sustainable, and we're already seeing the first chinks in the armour start to open up, with Netflix looking at their spending and introducing ad breaks on their cheapest subscription tier.</p><p>Whatever happens, I think it's safe to say that we haven't levelled out yet, and the industry will continue to bend and flex into all manner of shapes to cater to the audience that's out there. Whether that means pouring money into streaming, or striking a balance between home and cinema formats, only time will tell.</p></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-87502318609815742512022-08-28T12:53:00.000+08:002022-08-28T12:53:18.620+08:00What I'm Watching: August 2022<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJTeDOk9gB3tEPbxmIt0Z99kxsOehCs1TAlrzS8rgk-Nu2BTt24QSR7qxdUalXLYPMgOsq3mk-PHf1h8CNcy5EPtfY1nHisizJyovcFXg75sif7JZOrKwJMC_QKJkdCfxgTEDTs3Ir4USgZh0aYGvsVQp_ap2QwUW-Umtjtuq9U9KFrG14xDkbkx2/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(36).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJTeDOk9gB3tEPbxmIt0Z99kxsOehCs1TAlrzS8rgk-Nu2BTt24QSR7qxdUalXLYPMgOsq3mk-PHf1h8CNcy5EPtfY1nHisizJyovcFXg75sif7JZOrKwJMC_QKJkdCfxgTEDTs3Ir4USgZh0aYGvsVQp_ap2QwUW-Umtjtuq9U9KFrG14xDkbkx2/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(36).png" width="640" /></a></p><b>A quick recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, featuring Pixar's <i>Lightyear</i>, season two of HBO's <i>Industry</i>, season eight of <i>Brooklyn Nine-Nine</i>, season three of Prime Video's <i>The Boys</i> and Nathan Fielder's new show, <i>The Rehearsal</i>.<br /><br /></b><span><a name='more'></a></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">Lightyear (Disney+)</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfWVteOLZNryxVk9c1L_UIMX2q5eKMruBIVNbOjnNivb8HwAADiH8rRXS07nFJE8mXMTyz6ilbrp-dDHcznZotG5YbXJRbE6GwDTbh5ybIye8bH1TftNzVduix_TmXAFLd5hLiiR9Mukxjq9Z8g3g7M_5WEMOE2caC_gHvDKXiH-6SZ5sVjZgL9IZ/s951/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-07%20at%201.09.25%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="951" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfWVteOLZNryxVk9c1L_UIMX2q5eKMruBIVNbOjnNivb8HwAADiH8rRXS07nFJE8mXMTyz6ilbrp-dDHcznZotG5YbXJRbE6GwDTbh5ybIye8bH1TftNzVduix_TmXAFLd5hLiiR9Mukxjq9Z8g3g7M_5WEMOE2caC_gHvDKXiH-6SZ5sVjZgL9IZ/w400-h269/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-07%20at%201.09.25%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Pixar's latest is a perplexing offshoot of their most precious property; <i>Lightyear</i>, as the opening titles clarify, is the fictional film that the fictional toy Buzz Lightyear was based off when he was first purchased by Andy, way back in 1995's <i>Toy Story</i>. <br /><p></p><p>So we're introduced to Buzz (here voiced by Chris Evans) as he voyages through the stars alongside fellow space ranger Hawthorne (voice of Uzo Aduba). When Buzz and Hawthorne find themselves marooned on a remote and hostile world, they must work together to craft a special crystal, that can propel their damaged vessel through hyperspace. </p><p>Whether or not I think <i>Lightyear</i> is good or not is somewhat immaterial, since I'm neither the target audience or particularly interested in its story. I like Buzz, don't get me wrong, he's one of the best characters in <i>Toy Story</i> – but what this prequel sets out to do is appeal to kids and preteens, and shift toys off the Target shelves. I can't see this not being a hit with its demo, and there's enough here for adults and parents to enjoy too. But it's not Pixar at their most imaginative or their most inventive, that's for sure.</p><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Industry season two (Binge)</span></span></h3><div><span><span style="color: #800180;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtyBKjAISayslZCrZGwgYbJU01coeob4OKSeyRM1H1Z_gcZ1PCxuqJZxqR3ncTWwkOcI-ngbMpfM524K-Z6CbUyd2b22Zr4jWz1IDtGU1a5RSZRh6Jiptwx0BxPeli49Tr9Pzcw_rw_5dJaIz5bIGKltwetGyzZ1z9umakdahFJuF7FrnN4cXaZUI/s1600/c0ed7c89d373a63cd9147a4dd54f3065.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtyBKjAISayslZCrZGwgYbJU01coeob4OKSeyRM1H1Z_gcZ1PCxuqJZxqR3ncTWwkOcI-ngbMpfM524K-Z6CbUyd2b22Zr4jWz1IDtGU1a5RSZRh6Jiptwx0BxPeli49Tr9Pzcw_rw_5dJaIz5bIGKltwetGyzZ1z9umakdahFJuF7FrnN4cXaZUI/w400-h268/c0ed7c89d373a63cd9147a4dd54f3065.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Season one of <i>Industry </i>was good, but it was missing something; a clear focus, a strong unifying narrative thrust to tie its ensemble together. That's the biggest (and best) change as season two gets underway.<br /><br /></div><div>Immediately, it feels as though the show has sharpened itself up, and I don't just mean the characters look sharp in their crisp office suits. I mean it feels like the show has matured a little, wisened up a little, and set itself on a path that is narrower, clearer and less about the work, and more about the actual people.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's just what we can gather from the first four episodes, which are fantastic – each of which end with a massive hold-your-breath, nerve-wracking crescendo. I almost wish I'd not started on this season until all the episodes had aired, because now I have to wait week-to-week to see what happens next.</div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Rehearsal (Binge)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjzLIsMIkkvgMbV5HrDITpHbiR8XBm56eXTfz5cjoDFDjvYWu6YyO5gLtBaJ_GOssPEbGNSsO3y6NkDKu8ttZWT0G0b67wGsC4xPRb1taiHEe_QKq7Qf3YlH18s3qzGM3RbsiFJNt8UexYqHZsdTcgGZDPu_K5CCu0PePqLUCE5M0NwRDSm0L5136/s1920/nathan-fielder_0.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjzLIsMIkkvgMbV5HrDITpHbiR8XBm56eXTfz5cjoDFDjvYWu6YyO5gLtBaJ_GOssPEbGNSsO3y6NkDKu8ttZWT0G0b67wGsC4xPRb1taiHEe_QKq7Qf3YlH18s3qzGM3RbsiFJNt8UexYqHZsdTcgGZDPu_K5CCu0PePqLUCE5M0NwRDSm0L5136/w400-h266/nathan-fielder_0.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Hoo boy, where do you even start with <i>The Rehearsal</i>. It defies definition or description, and it's almost impossible to provide someone a with synopsis without sounding like a crazy person, and watching it is like a fever dream that you want to but somehow can't snap out of. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's also impossible to predict where this show is going to go from one episode to the next. If you'd told me after episode one that by episode six we'd have wormed our way through a surprisingly deep and thoughtful examination of parentage, religion, responsibility and a whole lot else, I wouldn't have believed you.</div><div><br /></div><div>Does Nathan Fielder, the documentarian slash comedian behind the show, cross some emotional and ethical boundaries here? Sure. But does it make for compelling, thought-provoking television? Absolutely.</div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Black Bird (Apple TV+)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbxMRL9I8HEWxxgMA6cw3rIN7BiwIPg-PNmTs-eLPs3uOPhknx41ubj7s26ZE6tEiiUYmU39vNfMkD0TwYWBW15X84ZBBn6bnI1wi64_BywuTY7xg8oVHefCAgWzraQYHqEolj2HPp-x68QVd_1zv8n9zdFeGymwSl8X7wgfcCtndTsM6QpVJdlfE/s1924/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%202.46.13%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1924" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbxMRL9I8HEWxxgMA6cw3rIN7BiwIPg-PNmTs-eLPs3uOPhknx41ubj7s26ZE6tEiiUYmU39vNfMkD0TwYWBW15X84ZBBn6bnI1wi64_BywuTY7xg8oVHefCAgWzraQYHqEolj2HPp-x68QVd_1zv8n9zdFeGymwSl8X7wgfcCtndTsM6QpVJdlfE/w400-h286/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%202.46.13%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>I love a good miniseries that you can zoom through in a week or a long weekend, and Apple's <i>Black Bird</i> is no exception. Featuring two stellar performances from Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser, it's easily one of the best TV shows I've seen all year.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a nutshell,<i> Black Bird</i> is about a drug dealer (Egerton) who is sent to prison after being nabbed selling unlicensed firearms. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's here that he's tasked by the FBI with befriending and extracting information from a suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Hauser), in exchange for his a sentence waiver. Obviously, this means being transferred to a nasty maximum security prison, where he must stay out of trouble and runs the risk of being branded a narc and knifed in the showers at any moment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Six episodes, all clocking in at roughly an hour, <i>Black Bird</i> shrugs off a slow start – Egerton and Hauser don't properly share any scenes until episode three – to really hit its stride in the 'second act', so to speak. Travelling in tandem with the prison storyline is another about a pair of detectives (played by Greg Kinnear and Sepidah Moafi) who are trying to untangle the truth about some of Hall's victims, by retracing his steps through Illinois. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think what makes <i>Black Bird</i> really click, on top of the slick filmmaking and tense storytelling, are the two central performances. Egerton is better known for his work as slick spies (<i>Kingsman</i>) or the bumbling Eddie the Eagle, so to see him do something a little grittier was great. Hauser disappears completely into the role of Larry Hall, with a sinister squeaky voice and little body movements and inflections that send chills down your spine. For something you can watch in its entirely right now over a couple of nights, <i>Black Bird</i> comes highly recommended. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Brooklyn Nine-Nine season eight (Netflix)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTb2AZv8cG2MauzYNYq9PwUed4mbY9UoEi7qZ4yOnLDghrgmmmX7g5xo59mWXRM4EWAtAJo7O0BxoKMq2lH61ZfLEDBjKbb5-qEcdNh1dUUP8jAv3hImG9Svje-LQ-rXvELgMYYm3aPjWxQwL-H01dqPhKSmNcLyF6Q--totAa-JqlzL0T-FoLJHKT/s2036/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%207.59.36%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2036" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTb2AZv8cG2MauzYNYq9PwUed4mbY9UoEi7qZ4yOnLDghrgmmmX7g5xo59mWXRM4EWAtAJo7O0BxoKMq2lH61ZfLEDBjKbb5-qEcdNh1dUUP8jAv3hImG9Svje-LQ-rXvELgMYYm3aPjWxQwL-H01dqPhKSmNcLyF6Q--totAa-JqlzL0T-FoLJHKT/w400-h268/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%207.59.36%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>After months of waiting, <i>Brooklyn Nine-Nine's</i> eighth and final season hit Netflix earlier this month – and even though it's plain to see that the show's peak is firmly in the rearview mirror, there's still lots of like about this short ten-episode season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Right off the bat, the mood and vibe of the show has shifted. It should come as no surprise that B99 would take up the challenge of capturing the conversation around of police corruption, violence and systemic racism.</div><div><br /></div><div>After all, they've leaned into more serious topics before – and since this season was in production right after the murder of George Floyd by police, it makes sense they'd continue in that same vein. You've got to give credit where credit is due, because I think the show does a commendable job exploring the nuances of the issue, without sacrificing the show's sitcom format. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Boys season three (Prime Video)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRB-dO2SeyRyL1WC80lXdLqTGjfZC0qBbUS1HbqPNk-C4s37QkZdHPnxYYWcoRuWQDy_WbhLqzKzpZzo3XBmefpJzh8XSBFFBYeTrfdGhpirRbXcePXznKywYp25gppyQfPOheFksvo3rl_4zBJC11MBcxWYG-SRlN_27f4ZulEGAJFNYR_JWriyHq/s1950/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%208.10.42%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1950" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRB-dO2SeyRyL1WC80lXdLqTGjfZC0qBbUS1HbqPNk-C4s37QkZdHPnxYYWcoRuWQDy_WbhLqzKzpZzo3XBmefpJzh8XSBFFBYeTrfdGhpirRbXcePXznKywYp25gppyQfPOheFksvo3rl_4zBJC11MBcxWYG-SRlN_27f4ZulEGAJFNYR_JWriyHq/w400-h284/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-19%20at%208.10.42%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>Season three of <i>The Boys</i> steers the show into darker, gorier and even more political territory – which makes it both harder to watch, and harder to look away.<div><br /></div><div>Homelander (Antony Starr), after his courtship with Nazi superhero Stormfront last season, has spent the last 12 months somewhat neutered and stymied by negative public opinion. </div><div><br /></div><div>But in season three, he's mad as hell and isn't going to take it any more, so it falls to the Boys, led by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), to continue the fight and attempt to defeat the captain of The Seven. </div><div><br /></div><div>As always, this season of <i>The Boys </i>is eight episodes, each with their own memorable moments and shocking (and schlocky) scenes, that absolutely flies by. I devoured this whole season in a weekend. The episodes are long, but they don't feel it. I think that's because the writing continues to keep you hooked and engaged throughout. The show never loses pace or spins its wheels (aside from the odd hospital ward musical number, which wasn't for me). </div><div><br /></div><div>That said, I don't think this show can continue forever – I'd rather see it come to a head, than just plod along in perpetuity like <i>The Walking Dead</i>. Better to harness that momentum and bring it a triumphant close. </div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-16576637822067785672022-08-26T13:08:00.001+08:002022-08-28T20:18:14.715+08:00Film Review: Fantastic Beasts – The Secrets of Dumbledore<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYnFyeQkx6kDiNUGW3_nQFM38l6XEAPpsz5hNZFICxtQtTp9F1vJPahwKwxcnb8dblforvtvy45kC8AEvDPZNYrcf2F2e2CfAzu1lAUIjwZYiY6fR-7V8l9WcQZp556UzEdMJsd-WFylOhaZrUfkMnBklz7jnOB_WXC5e0Fo2YQs9dZgLu27VB5op/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(36).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYnFyeQkx6kDiNUGW3_nQFM38l6XEAPpsz5hNZFICxtQtTp9F1vJPahwKwxcnb8dblforvtvy45kC8AEvDPZNYrcf2F2e2CfAzu1lAUIjwZYiY6fR-7V8l9WcQZp556UzEdMJsd-WFylOhaZrUfkMnBklz7jnOB_WXC5e0Fo2YQs9dZgLu27VB5op/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(36).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>The third (and hopefully final) <i>Fantastic Beasts </i>film from director David Yates is a slow and uninteresting slog, completely bereft of the Wizarding World's magic. <span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCS7VvRVdJ4nEPzZzUAAb1ekyn4Ku013kbaXEM6ZXqacN1ZL0fT3wJ6sL-1yxF2Ls-UuNX5GNMA17r6TIwbZapCkyDn091raZQMqNybdnIWROOt27IYgMcoAhYgVaSSXad1EnWE4u0i_jOUYb-FeE4NzZR-Ts0kPo-SfcGzMF_y1iZosIsgwwXcSZ/s1660/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-28%20at%209.04.00%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1660" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCS7VvRVdJ4nEPzZzUAAb1ekyn4Ku013kbaXEM6ZXqacN1ZL0fT3wJ6sL-1yxF2Ls-UuNX5GNMA17r6TIwbZapCkyDn091raZQMqNybdnIWROOt27IYgMcoAhYgVaSSXad1EnWE4u0i_jOUYb-FeE4NzZR-Ts0kPo-SfcGzMF_y1iZosIsgwwXcSZ/w400-h310/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-28%20at%209.04.00%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Talk about diminishing returns. Not content with putting the DC Universe into a tailspin, Warner Brothers is persisting with plans to make <i>Fantastic Beasts</i> a thing. Enter stage right the third film in this exercise, <i>The Secrets of Dumbledore</i>, which follows the continuing adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander (an insufferable Eddie Redmayne), young Dumbledore (Jude Law) and their band of dull supporting characters, as they face off against the forces of evil. <br /><p></p><p>After stories set in New York and Paris, this time around we're off to 1932 Berlin for a political conspiracy-laden narrative that feels a little familiar for the time period and setting. After escaping imprisonment, Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen, replacing Johnny Depp) is once again up to no good, this time using dark magic to try and rig an election, making himself the preferred candidate for the role of Supreme Mugwump (yes, really). </p><p>So it's a race against time to prevent Grindelwald from becoming leader of the magical world, as Dumbledore – unable to duel Grindelwald due to a childhood love pact – assembles a ramshackle team led by Newt, his brother Theseus (Callum Turner) and returning Muggle mate Jacob (Dan Fogler).</p><p>Clocking in at nearly two-and-a-half hours, <i>The Secrets of Dumbledore</i> is the longest of the three <i>Fantastic Beasts</i> films – and also the dullest. There's a real lack of momentum with these films, with only some vague overarching plot to provide propulsion. </p><p><i>The Secrets of Dumbledore</i>, much like the two films that came before it, feels like a film at odds with itself, as two competing ideas vie for the limelight. On the one side, is the 'fantastic beasts' part, where Newt and his magical briefcase of wonders encounter weird and wonderful creatures and critters from the magical world. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA_jXa4_iZafS6iDuQmUBxeRphT90nDFaP5fBfzBPZltmwF5MueSxuy1M0-jWSuwDCLzvZe8-X3FEr6Rfc3sNt7Ihba4LHqFJrf3R58KE-8-Ao5N0IVaPkcDDtfAkpMg955qfwUB1l1VJnoGvlvvAbx8yEQlGR1QDWvroy3zjXuM0L5FLbf2gCsod/s1258/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-28%20at%209.04.44%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="870" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA_jXa4_iZafS6iDuQmUBxeRphT90nDFaP5fBfzBPZltmwF5MueSxuy1M0-jWSuwDCLzvZe8-X3FEr6Rfc3sNt7Ihba4LHqFJrf3R58KE-8-Ao5N0IVaPkcDDtfAkpMg955qfwUB1l1VJnoGvlvvAbx8yEQlGR1QDWvroy3zjXuM0L5FLbf2gCsod/w276-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-28%20at%209.04.44%20pm.png" width="276" /></a></div>On the other, is the aforementioned political thriller, about a charismatic leader using propaganda and dangerous rhetoric to whip up hate in 1930s Europe. There's a dodgy election, lots of political manoeuvring, you get the picture – can you see how those don't click?<p></p><p>It's an issue that extends to our protagonist, Newt. You see, Newt's too pure for this world, an unassuming and idealistic man who seemingly has no dog in this fight, aside from his inexplicable friendship with Dumbledore. </p><p>Meanwhile, our other protagonist – Law's Dumbledore – and his adversary – Mikkelsen's Grindelwald – are caught in this solemn story about friends slash lovers who are now pitted against one another.</p><p>Three films in, and there's little to no connection with any of these characters, aside from maybe Fogler's Muggle Kowalski. Who is Newt, really, aside from a shy and sheepish. Why should we care about Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship, if all they share are one or two scenes?</p><p>There's a 10 to 15 minute stint, somewhere in the middle, where the group reconvenes at Hogwarts to reassess their plan. There's a lick of the original John Williams score, a scene set in the Great Hall, some chit-chat about awarding points to Hufflepuff. That's as close as this film comes to recapturing the magic of the Harry Potter films, before we're back in some mix of YA tripe and John Le Carre spy shit. </p><p><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 3/10</span></p><p>Other than the hardcore Potter fans, I don't know who would dig this. Drab, dull and just a really pitiful attempt to recapture that original Potter lustre. </p><p><b><i>Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore</i> in available on home formats now.</b></p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-48757556535643784862022-08-06T17:24:00.004+08:002022-08-06T17:24:48.693+08:00Film Review: Prey<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEJVavZEmGtCA-sD7v-lZ3SA3L2M-DwHe6PGMcwx4FHOOMQEJyI-8XdK0Hp2lpiyLoZ_goXRKIZgYNUWxwqO63cqDD0PJSdgLBqjZA9x_eWyu0sGghtCUOAlH2zIRWIHTSBngD4n2XiVdNHLn3BBldM-8x3-w8XU18B6FL6oJkobwmyMVxhKaDDgfng/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(35).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEJVavZEmGtCA-sD7v-lZ3SA3L2M-DwHe6PGMcwx4FHOOMQEJyI-8XdK0Hp2lpiyLoZ_goXRKIZgYNUWxwqO63cqDD0PJSdgLBqjZA9x_eWyu0sGghtCUOAlH2zIRWIHTSBngD4n2XiVdNHLn3BBldM-8x3-w8XU18B6FL6oJkobwmyMVxhKaDDgfng/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(35).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>The seventh (of fifth, depending on how you count it?) <i>Predator</i> film is a return to basics.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNH5NnwUKeLzHSRSS8ZovAy4QtvLsMRGXpSKHHbBke6VGfhVfnHithDIRjn3Y9wBeDpa6br-ARLBvS5cQLnLu78KJW6CLKYPp2ZUpjvYIC5qstR1ZC27fBQJYa2an5NtFh2WgcnPhkDGlHurxE4aoUyrqJwarJUwDdESllTiXsWw5ZzII792x8A1djw/s1920/prey-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1920" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNH5NnwUKeLzHSRSS8ZovAy4QtvLsMRGXpSKHHbBke6VGfhVfnHithDIRjn3Y9wBeDpa6br-ARLBvS5cQLnLu78KJW6CLKYPp2ZUpjvYIC5qstR1ZC27fBQJYa2an5NtFh2WgcnPhkDGlHurxE4aoUyrqJwarJUwDdESllTiXsWw5ZzII792x8A1djw/w400-h259/prey-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Director Dan Trachtenberg (<i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i>) winds back the clock to the 18th century, for a straightforward story that pits the Predator against a young Comanche warrior and her tribespeople. <p></p><p>The last couple of movies in this series (2010's <i>Predators</i>, 2018's <i>The Predator</i>) had redeeming qualities, but fell short of recapturing the magic of the original Arnie action classic. On the other hand, <i>Prey</i>, despite being dumped on Disney+, is probably the closet we've come to date.</p><p>By virtue of its setting, <i>Prey</i> is stripped-back and simple. Amber Midthunder plays Naru, a Comanche girl who is determined to prove herself worthy as a huntress, while the men in her tribe hold her back. The tribe is soon beset by tragedy when a Predator shows up, thrusting Naru and her brother (Dakota Beavers) into a mano e mano tussle, where they find themselves outclassed and lacking in firepower.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsYPCMFUaQH6s7gH-u_avklVcTNekczHYbfLxbvyVSYSaZQ43WDpMTB8F21WU-gNHHARhz5SHNHMxg22onaKnGun2C31QzKoBLh92ccxr7UJr3trbqcZXirbWZnN4mMRdvaBT-YzY4ICiUOjrQhEMeclnmHggH4dNGjiGK-7UIIiX7psRU0RwDF48dA/s1096/PREY-poster.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsYPCMFUaQH6s7gH-u_avklVcTNekczHYbfLxbvyVSYSaZQ43WDpMTB8F21WU-gNHHARhz5SHNHMxg22onaKnGun2C31QzKoBLh92ccxr7UJr3trbqcZXirbWZnN4mMRdvaBT-YzY4ICiUOjrQhEMeclnmHggH4dNGjiGK-7UIIiX7psRU0RwDF48dA/w270-h400/PREY-poster.webp" width="270" /></a></div>The filmmakers have gone to great lengths to make Prey as authentic as possible, despite the fact that it features an interstellar hunter I guess. There's two versions of this film, one with English dialogue and some Comanche woven in, and another that's dubbed entirely in Comanche. <p></p><p>Trachtenberg shoots the fight scenes with lots of slick handheld, and the kills – of which there are many – are gooey and crunchy. When it comes to action, Prey eases you into it, with a slow(ish) first act, before launching into an engrossing second and third. </p><p>There are vast swathes of this film where Midthunder is by herself and effectively without dialogue. So much of the storytelling, character development and emotional arc is conveyed wordlessly through her performance, and it's not until later in the film where she regroups with her brother and they cross paths with some French fur traders, that you realise she was ever flying solo. <br /></p><p>Plus, the film looks incredible. The natural beauty of what I think is Colorado is captured wonderfully by Jeff Cutter, with verdant greens, warm yellows, eerie greys and sticky brows. A shame then, that Disney saw fit to bypass theatres entirely, where those visuals would surely pop the most.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 8/10</span></span></h3><p>Wonderfully simple and efficient in its execution, it's a wonder why they haven't been doing this since the original. A tight, taut sci-fi action film that in a just world would be ringing the tills at theatres for weeks to come, rather than unceremoniously plonked on our TVs. </p><p><b><i>Prey</i> is streaming on Disney+ now.</b></p>rhyscpascoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958989487003807107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-66314441084767701892022-08-05T12:31:00.000+08:002022-08-06T17:06:13.971+08:00Game Review: The Quarry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7yoktC1kp01tIKOjV2SFWwXkCF1QhxVsNmFEMacjGuY3AMn1ADnNcji9X3ajO3f-ttcT8IQcm8Alf0VYaXhRMOM7NgrjI8UGIr_ueoRSX-8pL7PQUep34sM21XD05WsOJG3DYU2Tv-McMe_liSOh2qSwKTxQ0S4vR873HbCR5x1GPZqBytt8dW_J/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(34).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7yoktC1kp01tIKOjV2SFWwXkCF1QhxVsNmFEMacjGuY3AMn1ADnNcji9X3ajO3f-ttcT8IQcm8Alf0VYaXhRMOM7NgrjI8UGIr_ueoRSX-8pL7PQUep34sM21XD05WsOJG3DYU2Tv-McMe_liSOh2qSwKTxQ0S4vR873HbCR5x1GPZqBytt8dW_J/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(34).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Seven teens try to survive the cursed woods surrounding Hackett's Quarry in Supermassive Games' new gnarly horror title, <i>The Quarry</i>. </b></div><div><b><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7tc5rxGG84xD1wAkolrsiAi7A-BTL9fekVxxVtZRh_skoI3Z2Xo-s5yvR-U7mHN7an_0uY7zKy1ndQnYLnS8CC9R9PmjvdJD4mESb4T9BboXsJdx4ENwBD4hYH-0MTavf3yhwMfBkNgNXlGjSiBWUrih7hZYUBHrmu6HSwsIxIIU4Qw5kJleWvtN/s2400/The-Quarry-Cinema-Games.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="2400" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7tc5rxGG84xD1wAkolrsiAi7A-BTL9fekVxxVtZRh_skoI3Z2Xo-s5yvR-U7mHN7an_0uY7zKy1ndQnYLnS8CC9R9PmjvdJD4mESb4T9BboXsJdx4ENwBD4hYH-0MTavf3yhwMfBkNgNXlGjSiBWUrih7hZYUBHrmu6HSwsIxIIU4Qw5kJleWvtN/w400-h266/The-Quarry-Cinema-Games.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span></span>Wind the clock back to 2015, and British developer Supermassive Games put out PlayStation exclusive horror title, <i>Until Dawn</i>. It was a huge hit, with gory kills, slick visuals and a branching storyline with substantial replay value.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Quarry</i>, which is being described as <i>Until Dawn</i>'s spiritual sequel, is singing from the same hymn sheet. All the ingredients are the same, so the finished product feels very familiar – which means if <i>Until Dawn</i> was to your taste,<i> The Quarry </i>will be too. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Quarry</i> leans into the toybox of horror tropes that have come to define the genre over the past 40 to 50 years. There's your dumb jock and the stuck-up cheerleader; a gawky nerd, a loudmouth, a shy bookworm and a sensible 'final girl' who's going to make it to the third act. It's not trying to reinvent the genre, far from it – it's doing everything it can to ham it up and have fun with it. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqX7KpAkjyEkOzmIMsDLDKD1nX_E0Q6yE6JwMwGF5yiR_ZYGRhcJnBcNq0kUsBSmPaXomXFl_zRJDFaKcCkYTJs_RoBHzxYkBSKStUcdk15OYJApXuyDWvz_wF338h6iDbjy3_pU53Id3QCLTQYk51Ur5TVrPazLaWVix851gPkKNKPQLE8BTQLjG/s2395/The-Quarry-Games.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="2395" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqX7KpAkjyEkOzmIMsDLDKD1nX_E0Q6yE6JwMwGF5yiR_ZYGRhcJnBcNq0kUsBSmPaXomXFl_zRJDFaKcCkYTJs_RoBHzxYkBSKStUcdk15OYJApXuyDWvz_wF338h6iDbjy3_pU53Id3QCLTQYk51Ur5TVrPazLaWVix851gPkKNKPQLE8BTQLjG/w400-h266/The-Quarry-Games.webp" width="400" /></a></div>The cast of characters are portrayed by some recognisable faces; Ariel Winter (<i>Modern Family</i>), Halston Sage (<i>The Orville</i>), David Arquette (<i>Scream</i>), Lance Henriksen (<i>Aliens</i>), Justice Smith (<i>Pokemon Detective Pikachu</i>), Ted Raimi (<i>Spider-Man</i>) and Brenda Song (<i>The Social Network</i>), and the mocap is really effective, with the animations deftly navigating the uncanny valley.</div><div><br /></div><div>We've now played through <i>The Quarry </i>twice in the space of week; our first playthrough was totally sight unseen, no guides to steer us through the story and point us towards the 'right' choices. Every decision we made and path we took was guided by our gut, and it wasn't until the ninth chapter of ten that things started to unravel. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Seemingly innocuous decisions we'd made in earlier chapters came back to haunt us in interesting and unpredictable ways. The second playthrough was the opposite, with the guidebook open so we could find every clue, shred of evidence, tarot card and ensure all the characters made it out alive. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpudsreWyKm46PAoVPhSZBgZlJ4ZLtPbQip3EBWgKOClv-nr0qXAszilW-uRZsGsHsTcBcoq8dU-rPSZfIGowLXlOGNOOT_wjlX5OcS6hjf2khfmFFqINCdI0_fjeWK_g6fcP_Qltwd6w_uvr-w3AhTIUT46syIw_0qUzLwFv9IyzGLpSzAlh1CeL9/s1024/FUr3M0kGxyddUfUeuKBBFf2w.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpudsreWyKm46PAoVPhSZBgZlJ4ZLtPbQip3EBWgKOClv-nr0qXAszilW-uRZsGsHsTcBcoq8dU-rPSZfIGowLXlOGNOOT_wjlX5OcS6hjf2khfmFFqINCdI0_fjeWK_g6fcP_Qltwd6w_uvr-w3AhTIUT46syIw_0qUzLwFv9IyzGLpSzAlh1CeL9/w400-h400/FUr3M0kGxyddUfUeuKBBFf2w.webp" width="400" /></a></div>I think my main gripe with the game is how little interactivity it affords the player; the cinematics are gorgeous and detailed, there's no denying that, but I'd actually like to take the reins every once in a while. And when it does, the actual gameplay – usually steering a character through a room or series of rooms to uncover clues and prompts – is so clunky and awkward that you almost wish you were back in a cutscene again. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Quarry</i> is better described and experienced not as a game, per say, but an interactive multimedia experience. It's not just inspired by films like <i>Friday the 13th,</i> it might actually be better as a film, such is the woefulness of its character movement and infrequent gameplay. Supermassive might even agree; after you beat the story once, you unlock a 'movie mode' where you can pick from a set of character attributes for each of the teens and then just sit back and watch it play out.<br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 7.5/10</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div>So if it's edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckle horror gameplay that you're after, <i>The Quarry</i> isn't for you. There's plenty of thrills and frights, but they largely come from QTEs, cutscenes and forks in the road, where the 'right' path is unclear and obfuscated. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then <i>The Quarry</i> comes highly recommended.</div><div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5569947436687643865" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 714.012px;"><p><b><i>The Quarry</i> was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.</b></p></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-23815087568624116412022-07-23T18:16:00.001+08:002022-07-23T18:16:18.212+08:00What I'm Watching: July 2022<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebDeYCpKlheC-6QiUShy_0ahYXMgV37-e_UjRaeeiysyLs0d1hANgvnMOq3Rv8EEeZ-Dr34FYARnCrY9VqhSgRgI5Al-1wlupwaisJQ8txpPD6U-VXO0ejX-xSVX8D7OIxwzt6COXqRTLG5wmHqLogaeKeESTKsbqYrdyP1rKVM4jfuqEqPR1yPh1/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(31).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebDeYCpKlheC-6QiUShy_0ahYXMgV37-e_UjRaeeiysyLs0d1hANgvnMOq3Rv8EEeZ-Dr34FYARnCrY9VqhSgRgI5Al-1wlupwaisJQ8txpPD6U-VXO0ejX-xSVX8D7OIxwzt6COXqRTLG5wmHqLogaeKeESTKsbqYrdyP1rKVM4jfuqEqPR1yPh1/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(31).png" width="640" /></a><br /></p><b>A recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, featuring <i>Starstruck</i> on ABC iView, the finale of <i>Stranger Things</i> season four, HBO Max miniseries <i>The Staircase</i> and catching up with Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy's sci-fi headspin, <i>Westworld</i>.<br /><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></b><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Starstruck seasons one and two (ABC iView)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mt5rv8gjV5wf9oVC5363VKXZmGiqQjyN3yJU3cClg7_myRMnFV0N3EgHNPKa6IW06W2Ts_p0OZ38u8yHnZ8jcS-ZZwD435Ic0EDqMb2SLQjMyXCOXJKt5yp5ZfeRKB9r-gWGhsbrguXSMGGJyhjFHTTdBvT-6By_1jprZ9ViVscHcWmPiF-ycSCm/s945/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-15%20at%209.58.43%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="945" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mt5rv8gjV5wf9oVC5363VKXZmGiqQjyN3yJU3cClg7_myRMnFV0N3EgHNPKa6IW06W2Ts_p0OZ38u8yHnZ8jcS-ZZwD435Ic0EDqMb2SLQjMyXCOXJKt5yp5ZfeRKB9r-gWGhsbrguXSMGGJyhjFHTTdBvT-6By_1jprZ9ViVscHcWmPiF-ycSCm/w400-h279/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-15%20at%209.58.43%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>It's not often I seek out a show based on a single actor; but I loved Kiwi comedian Rose Matafeo on <i>Taskmaster</i>, and hearing that she has an HBO Max sitcom – airing in Australia on ABC – was all the reason I needed to sign up for the service and give it a spin.<br /> </span></span></div><div><i>Starstruck</i> follows aimless twenty-something Jessie (Matafeo), as she juggles two jobs and an uneven love life in London. One New Year's Eve, she meets and hooks up with Tom (Nikesh Patel), who she doesn't realise is a famous movie star until the morning after.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>From there, the show is about the ups and downs of their friendship slash relationship – as they weave their way in and out of each others lives over the course of a year in season one, and then after they decide to give it a go for real in season two.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>Short and sharp, Funny without being forced, and anchored by two very charismatic leads, there's a lot to love about Starstruck. Not the kind of thing I usually go in for, but Matafeo's quirky Kiwi sensibilities are a big part of the charm.</span></span></div><br /><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Staircase (Binge)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRTQSAyhRr-WG82QzFVzcUkOp5ikh6x3cBCg-mgDBoRWu8PLcCZpu_b_qwsH7cJL8r_lr5RACh73oq7YEfmW4Zq7LBFNepz2fuLevgRoVtzDWoPkG1Kokg6zgN3a6GC7maFiizH3zUdGoAGMIhi2vhR2i1hBV9ZvfOQ0icWCRfLK0byJMyduU492O/s2046/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-29%20at%207.19.06%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="2046" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRTQSAyhRr-WG82QzFVzcUkOp5ikh6x3cBCg-mgDBoRWu8PLcCZpu_b_qwsH7cJL8r_lr5RACh73oq7YEfmW4Zq7LBFNepz2fuLevgRoVtzDWoPkG1Kokg6zgN3a6GC7maFiizH3zUdGoAGMIhi2vhR2i1hBV9ZvfOQ0icWCRfLK0byJMyduU492O/w400-h274/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-29%20at%207.19.06%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>This slick HBO Max true crime miniseries is packed to the rafters with talent; Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson, a wealthy North Carolina socialite with aspirations of running for Durham City Council. However, when Michael's wife Kathleen (Toni Collette) winds up dead at the bottom of the staircase in their family home, all signs point to Michael being the murderer – or do they? <p></p><p>Spanning eight episodes and nearly two decades of the Peterson family's life, from 2001 when Kathleen is killed to 2017, <i>The Staircase</i> explores the American judicial system, follows a documentary crew as they plot the Peterson case over a number of years, and unpacks the unconventional family dynamic that the case orbits around. </p><p>Rounding out the impressive ensemble cast are Sophie Turner, Dane DeHaan, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Michael Stuhlbarg, Rosemarie DeWitt, Parker Posey, Odessa Young and Juliette Binoche. It really is an embarrassment of riches, so much so that some standout (Binoche, Stuhlbarg) while others sort of fade into the background (Posey, DeHaan). </p><p>But the real MVPs are the lead duo, Firth and Collette. The latter literally never phones it in, and has so much more to offer when the show gives her more than the 'scorned wife' archetype. Similarly, Firth is scarily good here – I wouldn't be surprised if he's is front and centre during the Emmy season. </p><p>Kathleen's death – shown three different times, <i>Rashomon</i>-style – is grisly and confronting, while the legalese can be a bit turgid at times. But on the whole, a really great series – one that is more interested in the idea of 'you can never know what truly happened' than telling a straightforward whodunnit story. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Stranger Things season four part two (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ssHB4XX3FBgB27OjD1OyNZzJQeHhA--vbhd30ZWnKPKJY_FkodU7t17q8T-XfN6ef0eco2M2gZ2j9Wmw3BV4wlCCI4XvRxmlIvWq4zwceti9ooBpdWgNzKjoVlIYMrBkDwpknvJKIRPluzWFiRQEw1hLfm1kRXco17caNQNYiuow3LHdAPbzGZd7/s728/stranger-things-quiksilver-collection.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="728" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ssHB4XX3FBgB27OjD1OyNZzJQeHhA--vbhd30ZWnKPKJY_FkodU7t17q8T-XfN6ef0eco2M2gZ2j9Wmw3BV4wlCCI4XvRxmlIvWq4zwceti9ooBpdWgNzKjoVlIYMrBkDwpknvJKIRPluzWFiRQEw1hLfm1kRXco17caNQNYiuow3LHdAPbzGZd7/w400-h259/stranger-things-quiksilver-collection.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Is Stranger Things the biggest show in the world? After season four, it certainly feels that way – the chatter around it has been inescapable. And after the two-part, feature-length finale to the show's latest run of episodes, it feels like Netflix's flagship series is bigger and better than ever. <br /><p></p><p>That's not to say season four didn't hit its fair share of bum notes; I still can't reconcile how pointless, lethargic and inert that whole Kamchatka sideplot was – like seriously, can we cool it with the kooky Russians and cut back to some characters we actually care about?</p><p>But the good stuff is seriously great – blockbuster television at its best. Everything back in Hawkins, with the core cast of teens and tweens, is gripping from beginning to end. Millie Bobbie Brown really comes into her own in episode eight 'Papa', while Sadie Sink's continued arc shows where her strengths as an actor lie. </p><p>Not everyone gets ample time to shine – we're looking at you, Finn Wolfhard, if that is your real name – and the pacing is well outta whack – episode nine definitely didn't need to run longer than 90 minutes, let alone two hours – but the overall impact of Stranger Things in 2022 has been massive. Roll on that fifth and final season. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Ambulance (Blu-ray)</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNUX1DfXnwdn1YkuUdlLYgklzUPlVrG6NM5W95Io6YALG8pW07RhmvifCX5he5YtoM_Dkp-43SoyV9mUBPZM921YOZp5udb0sIay58YNQ_7Lhpc-d4k-gGSBE8DtQDE97duNIZE1tJ5oWSqxjS8G2LRxZxB9czskkT_TUy85sRrcJSw4uGhMA7ZGy/s1426/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-18%20at%208.03.58%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1426" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNUX1DfXnwdn1YkuUdlLYgklzUPlVrG6NM5W95Io6YALG8pW07RhmvifCX5he5YtoM_Dkp-43SoyV9mUBPZM921YOZp5udb0sIay58YNQ_7Lhpc-d4k-gGSBE8DtQDE97duNIZE1tJ5oWSqxjS8G2LRxZxB9czskkT_TUy85sRrcJSw4uGhMA7ZGy/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-18%20at%208.03.58%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Branded as something of a flop when it hit cinemas back in April, Michael Bay's new movie <i>Ambulance</i> is one of his best – up there with the likes of <i>Armageddon</i> and <i>Bad Boys II</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jake Gyllenhaal and Yaya Abdul Mateen play brothers, the former a prolific bank robber, the latter a former soldier trying to go straight. </div><div><br /></div><div>When their latest gig goes awry, they hijack an ambulance and take its resident paramedic, played by Eiza Gonzalez, hostage. What follows is a frenetic and explosive chase through the streets of Los Angeles, as the runaway ambulance is pursued by hordes of punchy police cars.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bay is famous for crafting crazy action set pieces, and <i>Ambulance</i> is no different. But it does feel new and distinct, through Bay's extensive use of soaring, whirling drone shots that chase the action, plunge from atop skyscrapers and race through buildings at impossible speeds for conventional cameras. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Westworld seasons three and four (Binge)</span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2m_rN5EiCdJh7XLvyK4NaxakJq2KUNp201q7Dgc5aoPc7SNy8Z-yamKRkw6xJnTNKhnKYdEVL7pcO_xZd2l8WuzMw2hoopTH-ndK07KrwpEWUmlTk827aiTap2B6vFzRngNx4sK5E-rWycGYbz-XzP-MmN8UA5P9U1BlSRj7d1eQi4ZPiWnWCkmH/w400-h266/960x0.jpeg" width="400" /></div>I loved the first two seasons of HBO's <i>Westworld</i>, with the show's mix of intense science-fiction and Western rootin' tootin' scratching a very specific itch. So I have no idea why I didn't pick the show back up again when season three aired back in 2020.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>So, with the show's fourth season out now, I decided to dip back in and see and what I'd been missing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Season three and what we've seen of season four have largely jettisoned <i>Westworld's</i> original premise, in favour of something new and bigger in scope. Gone is the Wild West park, replaced with future cityscapes and the wider 'outside' world. The plot is bigger in scope, and less knotty – there's still some timey-wimey stuff to wrap our heads around, but it's nowhere near as confusing as season two.</div><div><br /></div><div>So far, season four is a return to form. I liked season three, don't get me wrong, but it was easily the weakest storyline. Four builds on what didn't work, and continues to move the plot into new and interesting places. As far as slick sci-fi with big ideas goes, there's few out there with production value and acting talent as sophisticated as <i>Westworld</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Morning Wars season two (Apple TV+)</span></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0k9ZK34LiALV_E6ajefhilpZ_oiS9jl2a-NU1xtbEvUyER2ABKxfuIQnmg_vEmEIA6i55jan0i1wtyGN51QmzEVf_c83QC7twpS6lWfn6fH5m5QQ8cN1n7rWJG6_UO5AY0ylUiX8pXtveRW8qCWmPiQImMCs5bOetNFgx3t1TyPibmJAJszGmgy6/s2500/the-morning-show-photo-020201-1623695556.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0k9ZK34LiALV_E6ajefhilpZ_oiS9jl2a-NU1xtbEvUyER2ABKxfuIQnmg_vEmEIA6i55jan0i1wtyGN51QmzEVf_c83QC7twpS6lWfn6fH5m5QQ8cN1n7rWJG6_UO5AY0ylUiX8pXtveRW8qCWmPiQImMCs5bOetNFgx3t1TyPibmJAJszGmgy6/w400-h266/the-morning-show-photo-020201-1623695556.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Season two of <i>Morning Wars</i> – known as <i>The Morning Show</i> outside Australia – sees the cast and crew of this fictitious American breakfast TV show grappling with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><br />Yep, in the same way that season one featured episodes about real-life mass shootings and forest fires, season two is set in those first few months of 2020, when the world was clued in on just how devastating COVID would become in the coming weeks and months.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span>I'm not really sure where I stand on TV and movies 'doing COVID' yet. Maybe it's because we're not that far removed from it, or maybe it's because they haven't quite figured it out yet, but I'm going to applaud this show for giving it a red hot go. Since the show is about news and current events, it makes sense that the biggest world event this century might bleed into its fictitious fabric. The tone is a little smug (at one point, the characters sneer and chortle at the phrase 'social distancing' haha, how cute), but it tracks with the show's trajectory of running parallel to the 'real world'.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div>Aside from that, season two is a compelling continuation of season one, and the stacked cast expands from Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass to include Julianna Margulies, Will Arnett and Hasan Minhaj.</div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-87513747220492019502022-07-16T19:56:00.003+08:002022-07-16T19:56:51.082+08:00Formula One Stories That Should Grace the Silver Screen<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2T45F80gnlY9v2Oyf9kcjjAslv_MD_KRYVy6RGX638hhZtwdJ73t9IzNdV9VKbdAQ6EYbrD8cLEYz62VugZrippXgCnw3t8hYCqMzRucwx9YmASS6jMcKhiVMig8SPvD4-JZeOQrd_4Ly3fQu5CLnFtTug1uiwhyiqgYG1NADelzWr4FrvRzAN-/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(32).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2T45F80gnlY9v2Oyf9kcjjAslv_MD_KRYVy6RGX638hhZtwdJ73t9IzNdV9VKbdAQ6EYbrD8cLEYz62VugZrippXgCnw3t8hYCqMzRucwx9YmASS6jMcKhiVMig8SPvD4-JZeOQrd_4Ly3fQu5CLnFtTug1uiwhyiqgYG1NADelzWr4FrvRzAN-/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(32).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>Formula One's soaring popularity in the States is seeing Hollywood sit up and take notice. Everyone from Apple to Disney is looking to cash in on Formula One's newfound mainstream appeal, with a string of expensive and starry screen projects in the pipeline. </b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVruWinCMjLwn6YxqpfJNmrHDMHXIN7yHbSceDhdcNCtqhfKVzqu0XeJ-EXcsyrSfEjzR9PVCN4qg7muyby5He-QzCqbwmNdM2_zzSeIodznVDqaK5OCnUD1AGcmGerODGOMoVFuMY_uY_KGopYV3OHZv-KYytwSWzqNs_9PoCPoILPbRbdw_4P7F/s725/brad-pitt-725x500.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="725" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVruWinCMjLwn6YxqpfJNmrHDMHXIN7yHbSceDhdcNCtqhfKVzqu0XeJ-EXcsyrSfEjzR9PVCN4qg7muyby5He-QzCqbwmNdM2_zzSeIodznVDqaK5OCnUD1AGcmGerODGOMoVFuMY_uY_KGopYV3OHZv-KYytwSWzqNs_9PoCPoILPbRbdw_4P7F/w400-h276/brad-pitt-725x500.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>As a lifelong F1 fan, it's music to my ears. We've seen a smattering of Formula One films in the past – from 1966's <i>Grand Prix</i> to 2013's <i>Rush</i> – but nowadays it seems like a new project or series is being greenlit every other week.<br /><p></p><p>Apple are working on two Formula One projects in tandem; a Lewis Hamilton documentary, about the seven-time world champion's meteoric rise from rags to riches, and <a href="https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/apple-f1-movie-brad-pitt-lewis-hamilton/7089359/" target="_blank">another film in which Hamilton will serve as producer</a>, starring Brad Pitt and directed by <i>Top Gun: Maverick'</i>s <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/06/apple-confirms-deal-for-brad-pitt-formula-one-film-from-top-gun-helmer-1234887487/" target="_blank">Joseph Kosinski.</a> </p><p>Michael Mann is currently in production on an Enzo Ferrari biopic, starring Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley. Meanwhile, Hulu have optioned a series centred on Australian ace Daniel Ricciardo, and just the other day, Disney+ confirmed they are partnering with Keanu Reeves to shape a documentary series all about Brawn GP's fairytale 2009 season. </p><p>With 70+ years of motorsport heritage to pull from, there's no shortage of stories that Hollywood can adapt. So I dipped into the databanks, to detail some stories from Formula One's past that I think would make a great films or series.</p><h3><span style="color: #800180;">Senna vs Prost</span></h3><div><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdERJnRcuBJuceH9gv_hrIYIfXpASRRDYxXd3z0hirfg1rp55sYWPafe3Nim3Eyylq1L2hZ5RouqWdMcoUgUY9eI9aoIbBceDFqNiL7zxWMNd_frI14JCjkMCpDXdIFNVRVSQfwRIQa7e-2Ne-evbUwEEq--ZaysJSAcsxXw2oEOJA-gVEX5ZFATT/s1910/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%209.26.14%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1910" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdERJnRcuBJuceH9gv_hrIYIfXpASRRDYxXd3z0hirfg1rp55sYWPafe3Nim3Eyylq1L2hZ5RouqWdMcoUgUY9eI9aoIbBceDFqNiL7zxWMNd_frI14JCjkMCpDXdIFNVRVSQfwRIQa7e-2Ne-evbUwEEq--ZaysJSAcsxXw2oEOJA-gVEX5ZFATT/w400-h270/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%209.26.14%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Let's get the obvious one out of the way. Ayrton Senna versus Alain Prost is the quintessential Formula One rivalry, with the two champions tearing chunks out of one another first as feuding teammates at McLaren, then as bitter rivals after Prost moved to Ferrari.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The 1988, 1989 and 1990 seasons were defined by the intense rivalry, culminating in not one but two dramatic clashes at consecutive Japanese Grand Prix finales in '89 and '90. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's territory that was covered in Asif Kapadia's terrific documentary <i>Senna</i>, but there's scope here to focuses in on the feud between the two in more detail, with the clincher being that the two came to develop a healthy mutual respect for one another before Prost retired in 1993 and Senna passed away in 1994. </div><div><br /></div><div>If it's a full-throated, fuel-soaked blockbuster Hollywood is searching for, there's few Formula One eras that match the Prost/Senna era for sheer intensity and drama. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;">Hill vs Schumacher</span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLBOzvtSde0lNnMWIlNQCkAWfOWraQ-G0qXJl_3nqYxPiApFMOcj5BHWUxKbG7ZCnia9H2GjjZsv5Y6TD5UyDo5OTmz-q52JMZEpg_sqJWY8-rNl_ANAUO7ZaONrQI4b2VMOUcAEe8vE6YSLVo5yK1yIsMwSxnyG6mEo0S1paz0R3QXHIJLAj1K-C/s1024/0ljxv4msp5i21.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1024" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLBOzvtSde0lNnMWIlNQCkAWfOWraQ-G0qXJl_3nqYxPiApFMOcj5BHWUxKbG7ZCnia9H2GjjZsv5Y6TD5UyDo5OTmz-q52JMZEpg_sqJWY8-rNl_ANAUO7ZaONrQI4b2VMOUcAEe8vE6YSLVo5yK1yIsMwSxnyG6mEo0S1paz0R3QXHIJLAj1K-C/w400-h272/0ljxv4msp5i21.webp" width="400" /></a></div>The 1994 season is one of Formula One's trickiest, with the death of the legendary Brazilian champion Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix marking as a turning point in the sport's trajectory towards improved driver safety. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For this story, Senna's passing would serve as the starting point. As the sport's biggest star, his death leaves behind a vacuum that younger drivers look to fill. </div><div><br /></div><div>His teammate, Briton Damon Hill, steps into the spotlight to lead reigning championship team Williams through their darkest hour. He's the quote/unquote hero of this story. Meanwhile, the next 'big thing', young German ace Michael Schumacher, is thrust to the front of the pack and serves as Hill's rival in a bitter and emotional season. </div><div><br /></div><div>Across the rest of the story, Hill and Schumacher lock horns and snipe at one another, not unlike James Hunt and Niki Lauda in <i>Rush</i>. The film culminates in their infamous crash on the streets of Adelaide, where Schumacher puts Hill in the wall to clinch victory, but not the moral high ground.</div><div><br /></div><div>Drama aplenty in this season-long story, with all the ingredients to be something of a spiritual successor to <i>Rush</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3><span style="color: #800180;">The Red Baron</span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpB074XCg8gGJIRApK-cDwCs74CmVSub1CLDV9My5M_L-VmG9mH6NFnmwAs4KQVOMaOxIIuq60kJdIzEroCCMwFb5SCcZsp62VA4ByFpCcI_TfD3cVYfLLUzQTygbn_HK0la_wJwzshJ7xQan1EyYGADKB5elSpB2CdAaWmpdtf_ObXYFLSIJNiLxb/s640/cwv7s1bh3br31.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="640" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpB074XCg8gGJIRApK-cDwCs74CmVSub1CLDV9My5M_L-VmG9mH6NFnmwAs4KQVOMaOxIIuq60kJdIzEroCCMwFb5SCcZsp62VA4ByFpCcI_TfD3cVYfLLUzQTygbn_HK0la_wJwzshJ7xQan1EyYGADKB5elSpB2CdAaWmpdtf_ObXYFLSIJNiLxb/w400-h244/cwv7s1bh3br31.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Michael Schumacher was the subject of a Netflix documentary last year, which came with the Schumacher family's seal of approval. But the film raced through (pun intended) the German's glittering Formula One career, and didn't pause to reflect on some of his more...problematic qualities.<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Suffice to say, there are no shortage of controversies to choose from. But if I was going to make a Schumacher biopic, I think there's something to be said for Jerez 1997 being his lowest ebb, a pivotal moment around which the rest of his career orbits.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps there's dramatic tension to be found in contrasting the depravity of Jerez 1997 – where Schumacher once again tries to clinch the title by deliberately punting into his rival Jacques Villeneuve in the final race of the year – with the elation and celebration of Suzuka 2000, where Schumacher finally seals the deal and becomes Ferrari's first world champion in two decades. </div><div><br /></div><div>A retelling of the 2000 season, itself a classic slugfest between Schumacher and Finnish rival Mika Hakkinen, with flashbacks to Jerez 1997 is the best way to frame this story, as through that lens we can see both sides of Schumacher's complex and nuanced character.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">Rise of the rookie</span></b></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEKPdfKrlXk3wBbZDImzzo1LQqo9B-rs2lCYwmiLHW97ozlsI2Jp21XtjQ3w1R3JDugqPtWikkPKOZvLvweOaYUt8kmVSnR6A3_EQQLbcTc4ELXVTw04oYu52juZ8H83id5gUExYaILHVv8YxWv9UWaRXv5bo9v11Iei-okQW-Zw5XbJPYWkitVFV/s2108/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%207.42.14%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="2108" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEKPdfKrlXk3wBbZDImzzo1LQqo9B-rs2lCYwmiLHW97ozlsI2Jp21XtjQ3w1R3JDugqPtWikkPKOZvLvweOaYUt8kmVSnR6A3_EQQLbcTc4ELXVTw04oYu52juZ8H83id5gUExYaILHVv8YxWv9UWaRXv5bo9v11Iei-okQW-Zw5XbJPYWkitVFV/w400-h260/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%207.42.14%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>So it sounds like the Apple documentary will already cover this; but Hamilton's story would make for a compelling biopic too.<br /><p></p><p>I'm picturing a film like <i>King Richard</i>, where Hamilton's journey is framed through the trials and tribulations of his father, Anthony, who famously worked three or four jobs to pay for Lewis' early karting career, before he was scouted by McLaren. </p><p>A dual timeline tale, flitting back and forth between Lewis' groundbreaking rookie season and Anthony's efforts to cobble together enough coin, would be uplifting and compelling, as it contrasts the glamorous world of Formula One and finding fame, with the Hamilton's working class life on a council estate in Stevenage, as well as their strife at the karting track, as they face classism and racism from the establishment. </p><p>Not only that, but there's oodles of drama to be found in Hamilton's bitter rivalry with teammate Fernando Alonso. In fact, if you go down this route, there's probably enough story for a miniseries, rather than a movie.</p><p>Of course, the tale has a bittersweet ending, as Hamilton misses out on the 2007 world championship at the final hurdle. But much like <i>King Richard</i>, the Hamilton family had announced their arrival on the world stage – and those initial struggles would lay the foundation for unprecedented success.</p><h3><span style="color: #800180;">Crashgate</span></h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98CX4B5Gmy6_aM0w0HAlyIKAQku-Fv9RFRxtXRAJ9MD19hvT8gFTeCeNZyQDs7eEIg1UgmbFIozCsi4AYDBT4X1u18YR_JlFddrJoYX33hCeif1uXlzwY9rfwJ66bFegHotYxItKchFgs4SYvSsGCGH4jQA0ieAzhGzE8i3X5FjsY_iK6gyfJaKFn/s750/0164937.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="750" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98CX4B5Gmy6_aM0w0HAlyIKAQku-Fv9RFRxtXRAJ9MD19hvT8gFTeCeNZyQDs7eEIg1UgmbFIozCsi4AYDBT4X1u18YR_JlFddrJoYX33hCeif1uXlzwY9rfwJ66bFegHotYxItKchFgs4SYvSsGCGH4jQA0ieAzhGzE8i3X5FjsY_iK6gyfJaKFn/w400-h268/0164937.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix should be best known as the first night race in Formula One history. Instead, it's infamous for all the wrong reasons. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The story goes that the Renault works team, on a downward trajectory and struggling to keep up with the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and BMW, orchestrate a victory on the streets on Singapore, by ordering their driver Nelson Piquet Jnr to crash on purpose, handing a lasting advantage to his teammate Fernando Alonso during the subsequent yellow flag period. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a story filled with subterfuge and suspicion, as well as larger-than-life characters like the ostentatious Renault team principal Flavio Briatore, dastardly FIA head honchos Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, and the cunning Alonso. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm imagining another dual narrative story, which darts between the present day courtroom drama of Nelson Piquet Jnr's testimony before the World Motorsport Council and the fateful events of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, which led to Renault's decision to fix the race, reap the reward and then fire Piquet, setting him on a trajectory towards acting as whistleblower just under a year later.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the on-track drama would be sparse, there's plenty of compelling courtroom chatter to chart in a retelling of what would come to be known as 'Crashgate'. If Formula One wanted to regurgitate one of its most curious controversies, this would be a great place to start.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3><span style="color: #800180;">Friends to enemies</span></h3></div><div><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2dH220UBmg90gdN5iHV3pxmwYgKS5UZSe4Ys04ZRUaWda8FVZdhr52_1UfXSq6LkpsJXF4uOheje07ndohErficPd3vkxmAN-dvwqXQGfuTHWB3_jhOqQ_ycbzrkQnJ8auGy9a8_TpJ5IIUdHUHF0LW5dzpZk436N71u3jf3xX4hpr1dr2Qq6qjU/s2140/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%209.44.15%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="2140" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2dH220UBmg90gdN5iHV3pxmwYgKS5UZSe4Ys04ZRUaWda8FVZdhr52_1UfXSq6LkpsJXF4uOheje07ndohErficPd3vkxmAN-dvwqXQGfuTHWB3_jhOqQ_ycbzrkQnJ8auGy9a8_TpJ5IIUdHUHF0LW5dzpZk436N71u3jf3xX4hpr1dr2Qq6qjU/w400-h266/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-16%20at%209.44.15%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Another chapter in Lewis Hamilton's storied career is the unravelling of his friendship with Mercedes teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg. </div><div><br /></div><div>When they were first paired together in 2013, the mood was positively chummy – and they often spoke of their childhoods spent together on the kart track.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>But by the midpoint of the 2014 season, the former friends were at each other's throats, with the prospect of winning a world title – a first for Rosberg, a second for Hamilton – tearing the two apart. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the Hamilton/Rosberg rivalry doesn't pack the same punch as Senna/Prost, since they never intentionally crashed in a season finale, the dissolution of their friendship does add to the drama. A miniseries that charts the '13, '14, '15 and '16 seasons, the entire tenure of their partnership, would give ample time to unpack both sides of the story, rather than painting one as the out and out hero and the other as the definitive villain. </div><div><br /></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-60815479089518877742022-06-23T17:30:00.005+08:002022-06-23T17:39:13.259+08:00Series Review: Obi-Wan Kenobi<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1O7slKuinTgEZYWWJeoL7BkMtTLPKVeU5T54mZOt1NfooJisy8G4hLQHFhf-5SPdTmoBjqHXmluH8DZtnuogqyGc2V6Xr08R9VYaQV1VwzFv2Zzug1tLFTuijG0obKNng_ngTCXvL86pkXNoqTKrO8d2De81LPYBDhWX2BFmB922NiPkqh11EP_o/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(27).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1O7slKuinTgEZYWWJeoL7BkMtTLPKVeU5T54mZOt1NfooJisy8G4hLQHFhf-5SPdTmoBjqHXmluH8DZtnuogqyGc2V6Xr08R9VYaQV1VwzFv2Zzug1tLFTuijG0obKNng_ngTCXvL86pkXNoqTKrO8d2De81LPYBDhWX2BFmB922NiPkqh11EP_o/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(27).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>Return to the sands of Tatooine in this six-part Star Wars series about Ewan McGregor's wizened Obi-Wan Kenobi.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonW5uXyi6JSqmYGuv_sl8WNrnCmAdOXHnloOxTEAvnWB_PAow1jFr8tMqKzNpjaHBaOYmCB4sSCLmBw5su_qkmYk8MavjSQTkXlW68KB64zhd4PUguzgD-505zS7d_RlkkJP1PVDKrRa4I3odtdKVLCxof6vPr1O0I06bWNVxXP2njHGCEp_U1Zns/s1792/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.51.35%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1792" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonW5uXyi6JSqmYGuv_sl8WNrnCmAdOXHnloOxTEAvnWB_PAow1jFr8tMqKzNpjaHBaOYmCB4sSCLmBw5su_qkmYk8MavjSQTkXlW68KB64zhd4PUguzgD-505zS7d_RlkkJP1PVDKrRa4I3odtdKVLCxof6vPr1O0I06bWNVxXP2njHGCEp_U1Zns/w400-h281/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.51.35%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Set midway between <i>Revenge of the Sith</i> and <i>A New Hope</i>, this series sees Kenobi in his hermit era – moping around in a crummy desert cave, working on a grotty factory conveyor belt to make ends meet and watching from afar as the Lars family look after a ten-year-old Luke Skywalker.<br /><p></p><p>Meanwhile, piecing together breadcrumbs and set on vengeance, is Moses Ingram's Imperial inquisitor, Reva. One of Vader's hardened Jedi hunters, Reva lures Kenobi out of hiding by kidnapping Princess Leia from her adoptive father Bail Organa (a returning Jimmy Smits). </p><p>From there, we embark on a planet-hopping adventure across the galaxy, as Kenobi and Leia evade the clutches of the Empire, the inquisitors and a fearsome Vader himself. Along the way, Kenobi crosses paths with a string of Rebel sympathisers, such as Idira Varma's Tala, Kumail Nanjiani's Haja and O'Shea Jackson Jnr's Roken.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en" style="text-align: center;">Feels sort of anticlimactic for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kenobi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kenobi</a> and Vader's reunion to be relegated to a streaming service. Star Wars practically invented blockbuster cinema, it shouldn't be planning its slate around an app on my TV. <a href="https://t.co/uyOkzp9wE4">https://t.co/uyOkzp9wE4</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">— Rhys Pascoe (@rhyscpascoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/rhyscpascoe/status/1526528840243507201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2022</a></div></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p>I think my main gripe with this show, and Lucasfilm's newfangled approach to Star Wars in general, is that this world and these characters don't <b><i>belong</i></b> on TV. Characters like Obi-Wan, Princess Leia and Darth Vader, bonafide icons of blockbuster cinema, feel bigger and more important than this. To see them scaled down and squashed into a streaming service feels sad at best and heresy – a fatal misunderstanding of all that made them special in the first place – at worst. </p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20EGGZXmhKbjPpUzmaIpnyngb3i0Y6VeE-2OVER-bCyl4chO71qKK5I1WMfa78F8AL5BC2ysqVjyg1sBEepkVrQlUFWRFOMjo6iAwIPXcrtksxnfmNExvwHkPN57JU72YxGfDvVbyAnRzJvuLVpBI5VDFvp6NvkPRQPDabpQBjHxlFXHsNADHWDXS/s2190/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.50.46%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="2190" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20EGGZXmhKbjPpUzmaIpnyngb3i0Y6VeE-2OVER-bCyl4chO71qKK5I1WMfa78F8AL5BC2ysqVjyg1sBEepkVrQlUFWRFOMjo6iAwIPXcrtksxnfmNExvwHkPN57JU72YxGfDvVbyAnRzJvuLVpBI5VDFvp6NvkPRQPDabpQBjHxlFXHsNADHWDXS/w640-h272/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.50.46%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>The third episode falls victim to this. After eluding the Empire on scummy underworld planet Daiyu, Kenobi and little Leia find themselves adrift on ramshackle mining world Mapuzo, being shepherded through an underground railroad-esque system of tunnels by Rebel sympathiser, Tala (Indira Varma).</p><p>Soon enough, Darth Vader himself (voiced by James Earl Jones, with Hayden Christensen in the suit) suits up to hunt his old master. Their much-anticipated confrontation is a lukewarm letdown, to say the least – a meek and flat hack-and-slash amidst a dusty old mine. It lacks the cinematic gravitas of the films, with limp choreography and an absence of interesting camerawork, editing etcetera etcetera. </p><p>The two duel again in the final episode, once again in a drab and uninspired setting with next to no identity or discernible features. Neither duel contained anything remotely memorable or exciting, not just because we know neither duellist is going to die, but the backdrop, the choreography, the editing and the actual craftsmanship of both sequences was subpar at best. </p><p>The rematches of the century, they were not.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zG4zpRbTrbRCHbF1DLcW9GZQEwl83bVLUofrfBakQj3wwbX1QfeiflHnLbGt7MyALpIpRNHPoylz8LZtSzDQltCRAg3EWveLPB8oo1EFkLJ3EciXOQg3zzRtSLlx9pWbdLOB7ja_VFA8LJ4g4GYMIQp4yrWFer62FGGTUmBMhVvfDxDANAwINELY/s2202/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.51.22%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="2202" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zG4zpRbTrbRCHbF1DLcW9GZQEwl83bVLUofrfBakQj3wwbX1QfeiflHnLbGt7MyALpIpRNHPoylz8LZtSzDQltCRAg3EWveLPB8oo1EFkLJ3EciXOQg3zzRtSLlx9pWbdLOB7ja_VFA8LJ4g4GYMIQp4yrWFer62FGGTUmBMhVvfDxDANAwINELY/w640-h298/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-03%20at%207.51.22%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>The filmmaking is lacking across the board, to be honest; it's a TV show with subpar TV show camerawork, subpar TV show visuals and TV show pacing. The grandiosity and the imagination that catapulted Star Wars to the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist in the 70s, 80s and 00s has been stripped away, replaced by Disney's patented 'plug and play' sameness. </p><p>We've seen over the last decade or two that TV can just as compelling and just as cinematic as blockbuster cinema; look no further than the Battle of the Bastards in <i>Game of Thrones</i> or the most recent season of <i>Stranger Things</i>. To see Star Wars – the property that paved the way for populist genre moviemaking in the last half-century – look this cheap, bland and flat is just sad.</p><p>I haven't really touched on any of the acting talent yet; that's largely because, aside from McGregor, there's not an awful lot to shout about. </p><p>Ingram is a cool addition to the canon, as a Jedi padawan who survived Order 66 and has sets about infiltrating the Empire to exact revenge on Darth Vader, but that revelation (which is hardly a twist if you've been paying attention), comes a little late to feel meaningful. Her arc ends with a Tatooine coda that fizzles out. </p><p>Hayden Christensen's much-anticipated return is cool too, I guess – we don't get to see a lot of him, save for a couple of perfunctory flashbacks to pre-<i>Clone Wars</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmg8NLmU_vn982VXiftivC96ywvIYVCMhNOsz1FQ2TjgyNuhFSStbZSyUwvRbJnzoNy-O_clx2DUYrv0KdI3f6oeVZ1gZN1p-EZJwk55Dc9v2Fl5-83EZ53TfBQmgdF_K-c_uH-q-Q9SDDmltdIiye_Gyk4M03tx32Wu0sEL5KoMqwOEsBSGmh1VN2/s900/EnviousBigDungenesscrab-size_restricted.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmg8NLmU_vn982VXiftivC96ywvIYVCMhNOsz1FQ2TjgyNuhFSStbZSyUwvRbJnzoNy-O_clx2DUYrv0KdI3f6oeVZ1gZN1p-EZJwk55Dc9v2Fl5-83EZ53TfBQmgdF_K-c_uH-q-Q9SDDmltdIiye_Gyk4M03tx32Wu0sEL5KoMqwOEsBSGmh1VN2/w640-h266/EnviousBigDungenesscrab-size_restricted.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the end of the day, Obi-Wan Kenobi should have been a movie – sitting inside this five-hour slog is a really tight, lean two-hour film that focuses on Kenobi, Reva and Vader, and dispenses with the superfluous stuff in its orbit.</div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-6015081541867406602022-06-22T12:55:00.005+08:002022-06-22T12:55:38.456+08:00What I'm Watching: June 2022<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eosJBvGfZey6myWdnH2nsxA18sqQPs6-d2kaA7qE61ItDXfQ59-pASRBvaprNVA-HhUUWjFaqDeC9Xo0l-o6tM-piT75MzItrBxNeSZM3GMB7DpQv-dB3U3t_jLhvbQaeyuGiWFxPo2S5N5P_IIsknPy1L_2ebtxNMrzKpQJdrEuSnrMHR9n-tIF/s1190/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(30).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1190" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eosJBvGfZey6myWdnH2nsxA18sqQPs6-d2kaA7qE61ItDXfQ59-pASRBvaprNVA-HhUUWjFaqDeC9Xo0l-o6tM-piT75MzItrBxNeSZM3GMB7DpQv-dB3U3t_jLhvbQaeyuGiWFxPo2S5N5P_IIsknPy1L_2ebtxNMrzKpQJdrEuSnrMHR9n-tIF/w640-h376/Rank%20the%20Films%20template%20(30).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>A recap of my month in movies, media and streaming, featuring Netflix's <i>Stranger Things, Interceptor, Spiderhead</i>, and Paramount's new Star Trek series, <i>Strange New Worlds.</i></b></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal;">Stranger Things season four part one (Netflix)</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnviDhXvD7FJDSBGH3GiQ8WHJ9EeO8Iqn1p8jm-uipkLyyM3XvAmo1J8SvnpwQjCx9vAPlOIuuxZMqgdTcESAPIOPI3M8xmOlbnAgSzhyWzZqDARXMvOWRryuFMyniylVtSnRqJSRksggsliTCoo2e6Q8sLXhF-IL6lF7EYE0otBH8ySpbNphDQ32h/s2882/Stranger-Things-season-4-dustin-mike-f67a8b8.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2882" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnviDhXvD7FJDSBGH3GiQ8WHJ9EeO8Iqn1p8jm-uipkLyyM3XvAmo1J8SvnpwQjCx9vAPlOIuuxZMqgdTcESAPIOPI3M8xmOlbnAgSzhyWzZqDARXMvOWRryuFMyniylVtSnRqJSRksggsliTCoo2e6Q8sLXhF-IL6lF7EYE0otBH8ySpbNphDQ32h/w400-h266/Stranger-Things-season-4-dustin-mike-f67a8b8.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Bigger, scarier, more tentacles. <i>Stranger Things</i> season four has been gestating in the tank for a while – and the bigger budget and subsequent step up in scale is evident right from the get-go.<br /><p></p><p>The sprawling ensemble cast – which grows larger with every passing season – is now split across several states and storylines; Joyce, Jonathon, Will and Eleven have moved to California, Hopper is alive in a Soviet gulag, Dustin and Mike are members of a nerdy D&D club, Robin and Steve work at a VHS rental store, while Lucas is in the school basketball team and chasing after his ex-girlfriend Max.</p><p>As the plot unfolds, the characters crisscross and segment even further – to the point that the plot feels a little bloated or slow, like those early seasons of <i>Game of Thrones</i> that hopped back and forth. Some of these strands are great; everything back in Hawkins is stellar stuff, with serious scares, propulsive pacing and great interplay between the young cast. Sadie Sink's Max steals the spotlight in episode four, alongside Maya Hawke's Robin and Natalia Dyer's Nancy. New addition Joseph Quinn, as metalhead Eddie Munson, is fantastic too. </p><p>But other storylines are a real slog; everything with Hopper in Russia is really dull and drab, while Joyce teams up with conspiracy theorist Murray to rescue Hopper from his Kamchatka prison. I always found myself checking the clock, itching to get back to the good stuff. </p><p>It doesn't always work, but when it does, this season of <i>Stranger Things</i> is the show at its best – sentimental, spooky and schlocky at the same time, with sequences that homage everything from <i>Nightmare on Elm Street</i> to <i>Silence of the Lambs</i>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season one (Paramount+)<br /><br /></span></span></h3><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rHr24OqV8_gbLjNqND5VN5dtcHEZrLra-nDPhZI3_M1FBA4DVvSYHS8ysBShM6DXHRbCSCMNTK-oHOZvhzyH7xyStz-F1uoMZZ556uB2XOmkYIesCeGWCvjgaex5sSyO5bh5JWBW327qQO7wqgkHTaCIPio7di4Rm32FyhIk6hqu-CcGYOx9q6eC/s2560/StangeNewWorlds_18_NurseChapelEnviro_JD_3054_V2_FNL_f.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rHr24OqV8_gbLjNqND5VN5dtcHEZrLra-nDPhZI3_M1FBA4DVvSYHS8ysBShM6DXHRbCSCMNTK-oHOZvhzyH7xyStz-F1uoMZZ556uB2XOmkYIesCeGWCvjgaex5sSyO5bh5JWBW327qQO7wqgkHTaCIPio7di4Rm32FyhIk6hqu-CcGYOx9q6eC/w400-h300/StangeNewWorlds_18_NurseChapelEnviro_JD_3054_V2_FNL_f.webp" width="400" /></a></div>I'm not a huge <i>Star Trek</i> fan; setting aside the JJ Abrams Kelvin reboot trilogy, I've only dipped a toe into the broader universe, with <i>Star Trek: Nemesis</i> and <i>Insurrection</i>, which are widely disliked by Trekkies.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So I fired up <i>Strange New Worlds</i> not knowing what to expect, aside from it being a good 'entry point' to TV <i>Trek</i>, according to some of the press around it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Serving as a prequel of sorts to the original series, and seperate to the Kelvin films (I think?), <i>Strange New Worlds </i>picks up the crew of the Enterprise about seven years before the first episode with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. The show is centred around Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Number One (Rebecca Romijn), and includes familiar characters like Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Spock (Ethan Peck) and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush, pictured).</div><div><br /></div><div>There's an overarching story of sorts, but the structure is similar to classic Trek – with a monster or foe of the week, a new setting, a theme or moral to share, and not all that much connective tissue week to week. It's fun and frothy, with a glossy aesthetic, slick design and some impressive visual effects for TV. From a production value perspective, it makes the Star Wars series over on Disney+ look cheap and crap by comparison. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm about six or seven episodes in, and really enjoying it so far. The pilot episode is a fantastic hour of TV, and serves as a great launching pad for what follows. There's been some standout storylines – episode five ('Spock Amok') is good fun, while episode two ('Children of the Comet') is a neat character-driven story for Uhura. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Line of Duty seasons four, five and six (Netflix)<br /><br /></span></span></h3></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxoHURFz7xvWq9unqIdpzduXN2m9SYbCZ298t1h5GoJbhesNm_YEWsbfrXfwLIAJ3UK4QlSbqEVhvRRF4Y9S6WL-mwd85SLaAZq4OSxj1RdpLpbH2v93RnbUIF3dVqQUjHsrMfEBZixq_LCKbu9h2y7kqLO9VCE5mgmORa8sV2AFvGsQ82tM8L-m5/s1009/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-12%20at%209.59.25%20am.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1009" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxoHURFz7xvWq9unqIdpzduXN2m9SYbCZ298t1h5GoJbhesNm_YEWsbfrXfwLIAJ3UK4QlSbqEVhvRRF4Y9S6WL-mwd85SLaAZq4OSxj1RdpLpbH2v93RnbUIF3dVqQUjHsrMfEBZixq_LCKbu9h2y7kqLO9VCE5mgmORa8sV2AFvGsQ82tM8L-m5/w400-h264/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-12%20at%209.59.25%20am.png" width="400" /></a></div>Last year, my wife and I binged the first three seasons of BBC police drama <i>Line of Duty</i>, and somehow, despite loving it, got sidetracked by something else. It's been sitting in the Netflix queue ever since, until this month when we decided to dip back in and round it out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why we ever left it there, sitting idle, is beyond me – it's one of the best things the BBC has put on in ages. and showcases British telly at its finest. Short, sharp seasons, compelling drama, talented actors (Thandiwe Newton, Kelly MacDonald, Stephan Graham) and some deft, smart writing, each episode is packed with intrigue and the tightly-packaged plots reward viewers to sit up and pay attention.</div><div><br /></div><div>I even liked the ending, which while downcast and a little doom and gloom, at least felt thematically resonant and authentic. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Binge)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEOG1euQOqt8pw5xp5pN4yB7pHgTNu5h3aYdCBhxnGwu_uboynATTiOIy5GaXYkg11jHBLXCsu7MzR_7MNeLEBEKxws-2iECDXpUdO46mfJmt6FBsH8f6xdrq_0KRJYFG6VWBkXPS3pPutZDmvDePc1fUnmcUVlis0mj2VU4Os0RMosbPU9Z7u72c/s1974/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%208.32.53%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1974" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEOG1euQOqt8pw5xp5pN4yB7pHgTNu5h3aYdCBhxnGwu_uboynATTiOIy5GaXYkg11jHBLXCsu7MzR_7MNeLEBEKxws-2iECDXpUdO46mfJmt6FBsH8f6xdrq_0KRJYFG6VWBkXPS3pPutZDmvDePc1fUnmcUVlis0mj2VU4Os0RMosbPU9Z7u72c/w400-h265/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%208.32.53%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Much like the MonsterVerse movies, the <i>Jurassic Park</i> series is a firm favourite in our household. So it was only natural that we went back and revisited the first two films in the <i>Jurassic World</i> trilogy before <i>Dominion</i> hit cinemas. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Colin Trevorrow's 2015 reboot slash legacy sequel is easily the stronger of the two. It wastes no time getting its audience up to speed, bridging the gap between the original film (skipping past the other two) and reintroducing us to a world where the park is open, guests are flocking through the gates in droves and a the billionaire owner has resorted to cooking up a lethal hybrid dino in a lab to hold everyone's interest.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a bold, bright reinvention of the formula – even if Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are no match for Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. But the splashy visuals, updated story and thrilling action are what people were clamouring for, so it largely works. The escalation from the initial Indominous Rex escape all the way through to the finale, which pits the hybrid against both velociraptors and a T-Rex, is a satisfying and entertaining ride. </div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, JA Bayona's sequel is less assured. It's a film of two distinct halves, with a traditional 'return to dinosaur island' first act and an odd finale, centred around a mysterious dinosaur auction at a reclusive manor house. Bayona displays an eye for interesting motifs – the dinosaurs stalking our heroes through the spooky manor is a new spin on the formula. But on the whole, this film doesn't click together and loses its way with strange subplots about cloning. <br /><br /></div><div><span><span style="color: #800180;"><span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Interceptor (Netflix)</span></h3><p style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6yL_S6t9DHo8dCSBb7Lkfy2LmW9FUm16trXBhJ59_Fouq5v1grIXloCuOzW7d38sfX7LYIyAx1XiXNbv3gpDsLqHk984wJr9KFtGDHOjJnpe3TrXOnZUXPD6aYpmXhEam_BSmRYEsFNAoDywZMD9G-uMEVOt11QRX3jVcyU-ldVtO89oJuF-zPZx/s1026/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%2012.00.12%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1026" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6yL_S6t9DHo8dCSBb7Lkfy2LmW9FUm16trXBhJ59_Fouq5v1grIXloCuOzW7d38sfX7LYIyAx1XiXNbv3gpDsLqHk984wJr9KFtGDHOjJnpe3TrXOnZUXPD6aYpmXhEam_BSmRYEsFNAoDywZMD9G-uMEVOt11QRX3jVcyU-ldVtO89oJuF-zPZx/w400-h291/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%2012.00.12%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p></span></span></span><p>Australian author Matthew Reilly makes the leap from page to screen with Interceptor, a tight 90-minute action flick starring Elsa Pataky as an American soldier who finds herself pitted against a team of turncoat terrorists whilst aboard a missile station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.</p><p>Reilly has made a name for himself off the back of dozens of punchy, fast-paced novels that feature frenetic action and plenty of military terminology. So it tracks that his debut feature film – he serves as both director and co-writer – would be as an equally pulpy guilty pleasure.</p><p>The conceit is simple; Pataky is a one-woman army, stranded without backup and racing against a ticking clock. The terrorists have hijacked the rig and intent to fire a series of nuclear warheads at the United States – all that stands in their way is access to the rig's command centre, where Pataky holds the controls to 'interceptor' missiles that can shoot down the ICBMs.</p><p>So you've seen <i>Die Hard</i> and it's many imitators; <i>Interceptor</i> is the latest. It's basically Die Hard on a rig. It's safe to say that Pataky – best known for her ensemble role in the Fast and Furious films – isn't the best actress in the world, but she makes for a pretty good action hero. Muscular and steely, her character has an interesting backstory that gives Interceptor a shred of 'something to say', and Pataky is the perfect choice, someone who melds the look of a career solider with classic femininity.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">Spiderhead (Netflix)</span></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1elt6XWwy_aKdrCbcWav1AgSGv4etmo1E3RAmd1-pJZfs2Y0xeu0wlhhm8fchhx7U1qQDtTBOlEFZyJoOYw53ckk2zlrTyreZiZLnxAgrfzPgoaTe2AYXcibv_B4aEppC9X-kdRWpratBSM4hQyWxgMNncWoe73TOTq_mOz02vJNA7n4CStZ6PJP/s1596/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-18%20at%208.37.04%20pm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1596" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1elt6XWwy_aKdrCbcWav1AgSGv4etmo1E3RAmd1-pJZfs2Y0xeu0wlhhm8fchhx7U1qQDtTBOlEFZyJoOYw53ckk2zlrTyreZiZLnxAgrfzPgoaTe2AYXcibv_B4aEppC9X-kdRWpratBSM4hQyWxgMNncWoe73TOTq_mOz02vJNA7n4CStZ6PJP/w400-h294/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-18%20at%208.37.04%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>Since <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i> was delayed for its initial 2020 release date, <i>Spiderhead</i> marks the second Joseph Kosinski/Miles Teller film is as many months. <br /><p></p><p>A sci-fi thriller, <i>Spiderhead</i> sees Teller's character, Jeff, kept as a prisoner in a remote high-tech compound that tests pharmaceuticals on convicted criminals. The compound is owned and run by Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth), an enigmatic visionary who wears a smile on his face, but will seemingly stop at nothing to perfect his chemical concoctions. </p><p><i>Spiderhead</i> is the kind of film that ten years ago might notch up a semi-successful stint in cinemas, owing to its household name cast and intriguing conceit. Nowadays, it's relegated to a quiet debut on Netflix – which is a shame, because while it's a bit patchy, it deserves a better fate than being added to the streaming scrapheap after a single weekend in the spotlight. </p><p>Hemsworth makes for an interesting villain; charming and dapper with a sinister edge underneath. Teller's character is quite sombre and sincere, which maybe doesn't play to his strengths as an actor. But there's a decent script tying all this together, even if the production feels a little hamstrung by the COVID world in which it was filmed (small cast, sterile interior environments, dialogue-driven story). </p></div></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-64530826514465566562022-06-13T08:41:00.003+08:002022-09-17T08:03:47.168+08:00Classic Film: Jurassic Park<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39A_lwGLTRfmj6wXYOQkIpWliEg9kGx5pEVdeKZw-o1_QyRvE858ThgVzHubqhvhammocXfyAugTJJlNHBawQtspCUUlaSErqoz1M9WAXUXtGPNIiWhmb5eD2S_PXX1JH9KyWlRfBmRXaTE-OclnWDazEhJMSG84o6MTvpKVZ4Bj7YqfoLMZmLn85/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(33).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39A_lwGLTRfmj6wXYOQkIpWliEg9kGx5pEVdeKZw-o1_QyRvE858ThgVzHubqhvhammocXfyAugTJJlNHBawQtspCUUlaSErqoz1M9WAXUXtGPNIiWhmb5eD2S_PXX1JH9KyWlRfBmRXaTE-OclnWDazEhJMSG84o6MTvpKVZ4Bj7YqfoLMZmLn85/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(33).png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>With the sixth and supposedly final Jurassic film arriving in cinemas over the weekend, I thought it was high time I revisited the film that started it all, Steven Spielberg's <i>Jurassic Park</i>.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtyfm2ntVRqZ_oGWKGwWPWXdqzsmC4IWXTVLtbawZ2c3jAf6AAwORJWczsQjDDm9D00S5n_0LF1yEJAEOpD7P94U4AIBj8Mg4f3pX_e3x0IrUnySTLLG3mWDxodIyy0s1wMvfxpvGXaq2rdDu7_TvjH9g5q1TSqUszvNv5Mj863UG7C_COEzpn357/s2000/Jurassic-Park-3.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="2000" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtyfm2ntVRqZ_oGWKGwWPWXdqzsmC4IWXTVLtbawZ2c3jAf6AAwORJWczsQjDDm9D00S5n_0LF1yEJAEOpD7P94U4AIBj8Mg4f3pX_e3x0IrUnySTLLG3mWDxodIyy0s1wMvfxpvGXaq2rdDu7_TvjH9g5q1TSqUszvNv5Mj863UG7C_COEzpn357/w400-h270/Jurassic-Park-3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Jurassic Park</i> is well-regarded for lots of things; it's magnificent blend of computer-generated imagery and practical effects, it's neat adaptation of Michael Crichton's source novel, it's memorable and three-dimensional characters.</p><p>But sitting at the root of all these things, is something that I don't think the film gets enough credit for: it's economical storytelling.</p><p>Director Steven Spielberg, here at the height of his powers as both a creative force in Hollywood and a 'household name, drawcard director', is able to convey so much, using sparsity and simplicity. </p><p>This is a film with a 'core cast' of six, maybe seven characters – Grant, Sattler, Malcolm, Hammond, his grandchildren and the antagonist, Nedry. There are others in their orbit, of course – but the thrust of the film is fixed on those seven, and we get to learn and understand so much about each in a relatively short period of time. </p><p>Instead, the first hour of the film fleshes out the world of the film, and its people. We meet Grant and Sattler, two colleagues recruited by an illusive rich man from out of the blue. We come to understand what each character wants, needs and where they are headed, how they will grow. </p><p></p><p>All the characters, even the smallest, are clearly defined with recognisable, relatable traits or motivations; Grant is measured and intelligent, Sattler is gentle and caring, Malcolm is drawl and charismatic, Hammond is ambitious and a little naive, Nedry is purely driven by money.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1GnrWIkAU0xNvH0nYNFxYUy1WYeSPpBlxMAGiTDPWY0kxbEKBxSIwwcU1oDPK1XGVHiPqMrL3V5vuQuR4THtFz4PHmfBkxC6fDzTWJ_BagOpJDL8MuuZEc30VWRuoGs_gbFRa4kdcZ80b0UUtRkIxmdhMORA5Hla5jaEN7O8LdygGKF_0WMDSlHQ/s2026/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%208.29.21%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="2026" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1GnrWIkAU0xNvH0nYNFxYUy1WYeSPpBlxMAGiTDPWY0kxbEKBxSIwwcU1oDPK1XGVHiPqMrL3V5vuQuR4THtFz4PHmfBkxC6fDzTWJ_BagOpJDL8MuuZEc30VWRuoGs_gbFRa4kdcZ80b0UUtRkIxmdhMORA5Hla5jaEN7O8LdygGKF_0WMDSlHQ/w640-h278/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%208.29.21%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Grant's arc – from a cynical and slightly rude academic to a kinder, gentler soul – is nothing new or remarkable by Hollywood standards. But like everything else in <i>Jurassic Park</i>, it's damn effective, through its simplicity and its familiarity. </p><p></p><p>It's impressive in today's day and age, how long Spielberg keeps his audience in anticipation of the selling point – the dinosaurs themselves. As a director and a storyteller, he understands how to build tension, and duly keeps his cards close to his chest. </p><p>After some brief glimpses in the first scene (an eye, a claw), we're kept waiting for a genuine, full-blooded dinosaur for upward of 20 minutes, and that first look is complemented by wide-eyed wonder by the characters and a soaring John Williams crescendo.</p><p></p><p></p><p>The film's most iconic sequence – when the T-Rex attacks the jeeps in the middle of a midnight thunderstorm – doesn't arrive until the midpoint, an hour into the runtime. There's no rush to plunge audiences in right away, but a deliberate patience that builds towards something memorable.</p><p>In many ways, it's similar to Spielberg's experience on <i>Jaws</i>; the limitations of the technology at that time necessitated that the shark be used sparingly, and the same can be said for <i>Jurassic Park</i>. </p><p>The latter isn't just a success from a narrative stance; it's a technological marvel too. Spielberg's team brilliantly blends practical and digital, using the latter in little doses to ensure the seams don't show. In fact, there's less than five minutes of CGI dinosaurs in the entire film, with most of the key moments employing sublime animatronics to fantastic effect. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fD7n6gmPGGw7el75mI-iqGAMdEXYudLV2y3zgvUfddAm1Wg5OS6qLDSO7DJ6HPeXV6rHWOWSmsvB5zNl1JCw3RiOoqFr0sAVBH1DXGjFVw2xXB28dVOBUGAg_8QBLt1-5v3AsOUZtA9e5nllteNnZkfwNYfBCmHign82ARqpV3FF5PPdv9FdCLli/s2030/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%208.29.50%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="2030" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fD7n6gmPGGw7el75mI-iqGAMdEXYudLV2y3zgvUfddAm1Wg5OS6qLDSO7DJ6HPeXV6rHWOWSmsvB5zNl1JCw3RiOoqFr0sAVBH1DXGjFVw2xXB28dVOBUGAg_8QBLt1-5v3AsOUZtA9e5nllteNnZkfwNYfBCmHign82ARqpV3FF5PPdv9FdCLli/w640-h250/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-05%20at%208.29.50%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Just for a second think about the scientific ideas that <i>Jurassic Park</i> is grappling with; technology, power, capitalism, chaos theory, playing God and so on. When was the last time a major tentpole film – that topped the box office that year, no less – had as much on its mind as this? A four-quadrant blockbuster where the four main characters sit down and discuss the moral ambiguities of science and philosophy over dinner – and makes it engrossing, thoughtful and memorable?<p></p><div><p>It speaks to the brilliance of Michael Crichton and David Koepp's screenplay that this thematic material doesn't ever feel dull or ponderous. Instead, the meaty, talky first half feels perfectly at balance with the frightening, hack-and-slash second half. </p><p>Which is good, because when things get scary, they get really scary – particularly the raptors, as they stalk the kids through the kitchen, sneak up and rip Muldoon to shreds, jump out at Laura Dern and lop off people's arms. </p></div><p></p><p>It goes without saying, given that we're talking about Spielberg in his prime, but damn this film just <b><i>looks</i></b> incredible. There's an iconic image or frame literally every five to ten minutes, from the water rippling on the jeep's dashboard to the raptor breath fogging up the kitchen window.</p><p>Your mileage may vary – but for me, this is the zenith of Spielberg's career, above <i>Jaws</i>, <i>Indiana Jones</i> and <i>ET</i>. And it goes without saying that across a further five entires, the series hasn't come close to replicating the awe and wonder and scares and surprises of <i>Jurassic Park</i>.</p>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816842203248746015.post-46288990320704838442022-06-11T12:08:00.000+08:002022-06-11T12:08:41.518+08:00Film Review: Jurassic World – Dominion<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHBs_AUi9lmt_PIyBvaKbp7EYWmC-Wm2OgACl_gm1EBWf7zX1NGHMZuo3s-7AcWO64uslToT854Ov3ohCRcoZy_BvbUKuYqbA_MDUgpQqM6lAQa6uo7BgJIo-8gRnarxyyUUvN9goh8208IzoaHs8US2u_8xB60TQggNkLDJiKruuGgG_6rRtOmW-/s1024/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(32).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHBs_AUi9lmt_PIyBvaKbp7EYWmC-Wm2OgACl_gm1EBWf7zX1NGHMZuo3s-7AcWO64uslToT854Ov3ohCRcoZy_BvbUKuYqbA_MDUgpQqM6lAQa6uo7BgJIo-8gRnarxyyUUvN9goh8208IzoaHs8US2u_8xB60TQggNkLDJiKruuGgG_6rRtOmW-/w640-h320/Film%20review%20header%20template%20(32).png" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>Director Colin Trevorrow returns to the world of Jurassic Park for the sixth and supposedly final film in the saga, <i>Jurassic World: Dominion</i>. <span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOw51n0VyRMe3HzCnT9piEtNRpWsNfsAc9oA1ccmJRg5sIVkPdN3B_KHABwLo5rL29XaggWKYrsw8MvUSqjibyIsj4Gi0ZEtAmly5iqrLVjj2QCA-a5P-2VsbsV3oKcmUaVVgVhWMjgJX9su4lllCNhiPvgu2rIOj6AJsPf6cYs2aRfUOtHXB6JkW/s862/3daae5e7c93d7cb1a8e572fddbeba5d4.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="862" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOw51n0VyRMe3HzCnT9piEtNRpWsNfsAc9oA1ccmJRg5sIVkPdN3B_KHABwLo5rL29XaggWKYrsw8MvUSqjibyIsj4Gi0ZEtAmly5iqrLVjj2QCA-a5P-2VsbsV3oKcmUaVVgVhWMjgJX9su4lllCNhiPvgu2rIOj6AJsPf6cYs2aRfUOtHXB6JkW/w400-h266/3daae5e7c93d7cb1a8e572fddbeba5d4.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Clocking in at a smidge under two-and-a-half hours, <i>Dominion</i> is the longest of the <i>Jurassic</i> films yet – and it feels long too. From the Midwest to Malta and the northeastern Italy, the film's first act bounces around, catching us up on the ballooning ensemble cast. </div><div><br /></div><div>Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) have shacked up in a cabin along with their adoptive daughter Maisie (Isabella Sermon), Franklin (Justice Jesse Smith) has scored a job with the CIA, Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) is teaming up with old flame Alan Grant (Sam Neill) to investigate tech giant Biosyn Genetics, and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) is now a famous author on the subject of chaos theory.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some clunky plot mechanics about cloning, feral locusts and a global food shortage bring the group together; uniting old and new for a legacy sequel that doesn't understand that empty nostalgia is no match for telling a genuinely interesting and compelling story. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than a rousing finale, <i>Jurassic World: Dominion</i> is a film of two distinctly different halves; the first, an international espionage conspiracy thriller (featuring dinosaurs) and the second, something more akin to what we've seen before, where people are plonked into a strange place swarming with prehistoric nasties. </div><div><br /></div><div>Neither half really clicks together to form a cohesive whole; while the first half is something different, it simply isn't a good attempt at what it's trying to do. Strong-arming dinosaurs into a globetrotting spy caper tests the limits of the <i>Jurassic</i> format, straining the boundaries of what works and what doesn't. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2wftHJhwAnzHNzOsX03Mb24PrcvoCg4pESv_EUsn-t218UIS8Zs_7i1U6iqyQMhX3p7cGMaYBe6DuKH0COfh0Vy3rYFNjuTWXIP70f0kRyh0qcabYdXpSaiBQtuB0slT3khBUyUIl6OYl8D_-FLsWk_8BO2K19zuIVFZ9iY4wztZcK1jpF_xyUAz/s1982/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-11%20at%201.39.36%20pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1982" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2wftHJhwAnzHNzOsX03Mb24PrcvoCg4pESv_EUsn-t218UIS8Zs_7i1U6iqyQMhX3p7cGMaYBe6DuKH0COfh0Vy3rYFNjuTWXIP70f0kRyh0qcabYdXpSaiBQtuB0slT3khBUyUIl6OYl8D_-FLsWk_8BO2K19zuIVFZ9iY4wztZcK1jpF_xyUAz/w640-h278/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-11%20at%201.39.36%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TbaEBvAVe3Sce-wDGYr0w02aZNuYhuP-Deul4oVMvVLaiUGcFQ_e5rux6bpsWBTysjP-GhbGSPHkJnFBO7jXxfdYdk81n_jgrpJ3yOWmXPmyvx7kFrDQxn79IWNFLdYG2MXcKgUON3ow3mbw1iuRsPyL5udMHbaRK7aCk3Jk8OSNIjxpIvFw2GEI/s862/ba3ceaee005ef1613476f531d2ae543e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="862" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TbaEBvAVe3Sce-wDGYr0w02aZNuYhuP-Deul4oVMvVLaiUGcFQ_e5rux6bpsWBTysjP-GhbGSPHkJnFBO7jXxfdYdk81n_jgrpJ3yOWmXPmyvx7kFrDQxn79IWNFLdYG2MXcKgUON3ow3mbw1iuRsPyL5udMHbaRK7aCk3Jk8OSNIjxpIvFw2GEI/w400-h266/ba3ceaee005ef1613476f531d2ae543e.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The overlong second half – once the cast are all in the same place, a high-tech compound in the Dolomite Mountains where Biosyn's CEO Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott) is cooking up a conspiracy – at least returns us to familiar territory. Credit where it's due, there's a string of genuinely good sequences and scares here – where dinos stalk our heroes through a swampy forest, a derelict mineshaft, across an icy lake.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A shame then, that this arrives a little too late to save the film was itself. Rather than keeping thing simple, <i>Dominion</i> builds on some of the baffling plot threads of its predecessor, <i>Fallen Kingdom</i>, and steers the series into some seriously strange places.</div><div><br /></div><div>In prioritising plot, Trevorrow and his cowriter Emily Carmichael, have forgotten to do anything outside of the bare minimum with the film's characters. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Like, how do Pratt and Dallas Howard's characters actually grow and change in this film? Truth is, they don't – they're more or less the same bland, two-dimensional people that they were at the start. </div><div><br /></div><div>Say what you like about Trevorrow's first Jurassic film, but at least Owen and Claire had an arc in that one. Here, they have one goal, and the plot doesn't accomodate for any exploration of their life or relationship outside of that singleminded focus. Pratt might as well be a cardboard cutout of a man with a frowny face, while Dallas Howard has regressed from 'career-driven go-getter' in the first film to 'freedom fighter' in the second and now 'mom in a wooly cardigan' here. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM9PUKLUU61Lz8-6MUIeWEfMJBeHKUBR37Mu8brN2Cm0Utal13QNjhboVHN_U35p4hXGxGhwPQiHyxOelUjxNgBd6G138DwuU2XKAbBr49s2-Awqh79QVPnlWY16OcoeBoFVy2JJKP08n3OM0BkX2nDDuipnjXmKkcSpCtm870hSX9kerLJV_0xVM/s1348/jurassic-world-dominion-poster.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="851" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM9PUKLUU61Lz8-6MUIeWEfMJBeHKUBR37Mu8brN2Cm0Utal13QNjhboVHN_U35p4hXGxGhwPQiHyxOelUjxNgBd6G138DwuU2XKAbBr49s2-Awqh79QVPnlWY16OcoeBoFVy2JJKP08n3OM0BkX2nDDuipnjXmKkcSpCtm870hSX9kerLJV_0xVM/w253-h400/jurassic-world-dominion-poster.webp" width="253" /></a></div>Is it nice to see the old cast back again? Sure, but what made that original cast so compelling in the first film – action and scares alongside interesting ideas and themes – is boiled down to its most basic elements here, plus the occasional 'nudge nudge, wink wink' moment of course. </div><div><br /></div><div>The film tries its hardest to conjure up some excitement or rapport between the three, but it doesn't come. Grant and Sattler are pitched into an autumnal romance (are we supposed to think there was something there all along?) while the script isn't sure what to do with Malcolm at all. Occasionally their scenes are underscored by John Williams' classic leitmotifs, in an attempt to evoke some kind of Pavlovian feeling of youth and wonder. It doesn't work.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180;">The Verdict: 4/10</span></span></h3><div><br /></div><div>A film about dinosaurs living amongst humankind has no right being this boring. Some neat ideas and some well-executed scares are somewhat wasted in this overlong and bloated misfire.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Jurassic World: Dominion</i> is in cinemas across Australia now.</b></div>rhysgdruryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16093278133368121929noreply@blogger.com0